Burning the Shadows
by Lady Unlaced
Summary: He seemed to be completely indifferent to the chain of the events that had led me to awkwardly standing in front of him with a massive bulge on my head...
1. Mischief Afoot

**Hello** my lovelies, and welcome to my story! I'm new to the Harry Potter fan fiction community here on ff (I haven't even read much of it! o.O) but I absolutely LOVE the books –and the movies (Tom Felton! –has fan girl moment-) but in my opinion, the movies just don't own up to the amazingness of what J.K. Rowling has so wonderfully put in print for us all.

Anyways, this is a Draco-OC fic, but bear with me. I promise it'll be worth your time. I work really hard on all of my writing so I can guarantee you nothing will be half-assed. There will be humour, drama, and, of course, romance all spun into my fan-based take of fifth-year. Also, for now this fic is rated T simply to be safe but it may end up becoming M, depending on whether or not I feel like smut has a place within the story. As of right now, I haven't decided.

But please, please, PLEASE review this and tell me what you think! Seriously, even if it's just dropping a random comment on how much you liked it or even hated it. Even a negative comment is wanted because believe it or not, it doesn't matter what you SAY, the fact that you took the time to say it will motivate me to write more.

**Disclaimer:** _Of course_ I own Harry Potter, that's why I write _fan fiction!_ Seriously

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**Chapter One -Mischief Afoot**

_If there was a better way to go then it would find me  
I can't help it, the road just rolls out behind me  
Be kind to me, or treat me mean  
I'll make the most of it, I'm an extraordinary machine_

(Extraordinary Machine by Fiona Apple)

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The corridors of Hogwarts were their usual over-crowded and suffocating selves, packed with students hurrying to their afternoon classes. The mob, of course, included myself, desperately trying to fight my way past a group of particularly slow second-years while balancing my stack of books. I had meant to drop off my work from my last morning class but had gotten caught up in listening to my friends Danielle and Wesley argue about something in _Witch Weekly_ (Dani was an avid fan of the magazine and Wes loved to goad her into misguided rants regarding it) and had completely forgotten my plan to run back to the dorms.

And now I was rushing towards the dungeons, thanking the heavens that I happened to have my Potions book with me rather than still sitting in my trunk. And none of this was helped by the fact that I was dead-tired. I had spent most of my night finishing a Transfiguration paper that I had been putting off. I hadn't even remembered it until Dani had brought it up at dinner, therefore launching me into five hours of research, writing, and a lot of crumpled parchment. I still had ink stains on my hands.

As I was busy daydreaming about just how wonderful my four-poster bed upstairs sounded, I found myself surrounded.

"Hey there Mercy," greeted Fred Weasley cheerfully.

"How's it going?" his twin brother George added, similarly upbeat.

I sighed. "Hey guys."

The twins were two of my favourite people in the entire castle. And because I was only a fifth-year, they were also two years older –but that didn't seem to deter them away from our friendship. Ever since I had been declared Gryffindor that first night they had taken an instant liking to me. Some of it had to do with the fact that I was from America –that much I was aware of. Not that I minded; they were always amusing to have around and could generally revive me from any bad spirits I may take to. When I wasn't with Dani or Wes, I tended to be with them.

Today, however, I was tired and they didn't look as if they were in the same boat, so to speak. I wasn't really in the mood for any of their tricks; I simply did not have the energy to go along with their antics. Not that any of that would matter, not in regards to these particular tricksters.

"What's up?" Fred asked, slinging his arm around my shoulders and giving me a slightly concerned but still cheery look.

"You look upset," Fred put in, copying his brother, only his arm went around my waist. I couldn't help but chuckle at the look the aforementioned second-years gave us at that point.

"I look like a pimp," I joked. Both boys broke into matching, devilishly handsome smiles.

"This could be fun," said George, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"That it could," agreed Fred. They exchanged glances over my head and I groaned.

"What are you two up to now?" I demanded.

"What makes you think we're up to something?" asked Fred, pretending to look offended. None too successfully I might add.

I rolled my eyes. "Please. I've known you guys for almost five years; I can tell when you're plotting so you might as well spill it."

"Honestly Mercy," George started, feigning innocence. "We're not plotting a thing."

I let out a half-hearted sigh of frustration as we approached the door to Snape's classroom. If they were determined to keep it a secret then there was no way I'd be able to weasel it out of them.

"Don't you two have class?" I said, switching my voice to a more motherly tone and eyeing them both. They just gave me identical nonchalant shrugs as they untangled their arms from around me and pushed me into my classroom.

"Nice talking to you Merce," Fred said giving me a cheery wave.

"See you later," George added, still grinning.

Oh yes, they were most definitely up to something.

I didn't even get a chance to say good-bye before Snape came over to break us up. One withering look at the twins sent the redheaded tricksters retreating quickly out of sight while I dove away to the safety of my seat before he could turn that gaze on me. The effort would have been much more successful had I not proceeded to trip over a Slytherin girl's backpack and therefore banging my head against one of the tables.

I moaned in pain, rubbing the already growing bump on my scalp while trying to get back on my feet.

"Miss Chambers," came the Slytherin Head-of-House's scolding voice. "Whatever do you think you are doing?"

"S-sorry sir," I apologized, finally wrenching my foot free of the strap I had tripped over. "It was an accident."

"Then take your seat and please try to refrain from further disrupting my class."

I nodded. "Yes sir."

It was only then, when I turned to apologize to the table's occupants, that I realized just who one of said occupants was: none other than Draco Malfoy. I had to physically fight to keep myself from groaning. I had never had a personal run-in with the blonde Slytherin before and I had hoped to keep it that way. The last thing I needed was to be the butt of his merciless jokes for the next week.

"Sorry 'bout that," I said, trying to sound casual –like I hadn't just plowed my head into a table.

However, to my surprise he just looked up at me with not a hint of his usual malicious grin. He seemed to be completely indifferent to the chain of the events that had led me to awkwardly standing in front of him with a massive bulge on my head.

"You should be more careful," he said simply. As soon as the words were out of his mouth he went back to talking to his two cronies, Crabbe and Goyle.

I walked to my seat in between my friends, shocked but immensely relieved. At least I didn't have to worry about the production of nasty pins insulting my mother or dying aunt or something equally as low. Not that I had a dying aunt, but if I did it generally wouldn't keep the likes of Malfoy from insulting her. The Slytherins were professionals at bullying and making people miserable and Draco just happened to be their king.

As a grueling note-taking session on the moon's role in potion brewing ensued I let my mind wander back to the Weasley twins. I decided to grill their younger brother Ron for information, see if he knew what they were up to. I was sure if I just undid a couple of my top shirt buttons I could get him to spill. Guys were easy like that. Some girls complain about stuff like that, but if I could use my feminine powers to get vital information out of someone, then there was no problem. Because what the Slytherins were to bullying, the twins were to surprises. And I really wasn't in the mood for surprises.

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**Please**, everyone, tell me what you think. Constructive criticism is loved. If you like this, tell me and I'll continue. If I don't get reviews, it won't be continued so don't just favourite me or put me on alert. That won't get you any new chapters.

_-Shadow _


	2. The Not So Diabolical Scheme

It's been forever, I know. It's not that I haven't written anything, I really have. After this chapter I have two more already completed. I haven't updated because of my lack of internet access on top of the fact that the past couple of week shave been hectic. First I took my finals, then graduation rehearsals, then graduation itself, then graduation parties. I then started the process of moving from my house to my grandfather's where I'm going to stay for the summer. And in between the moving process I had orientation for the college I'm going to in the fall. As you can see, I've been busy.

But never fear, I finally have a new chapter for you and soon after this you can count on at least two more. As long as I get reviews. Without those there is no posting on my part. You've been warned. .

**Standard Disclaimer:** I do not own anything that I didn't make up.

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**Chapter Two: The Not-So-Diabolical Scheme**

_So take me as I am  
This may mean you'll have to be a stronger man  
You used to shoot when I start to make you nervous  
And I'm going to extremes  
Tomorrow I will change and today won't mean a thing_

(I'm A Bitch, I'm A Lover by Alanis Morisette)

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After questioning the twins' younger brother, Ron Weasley, I still knew nothing. When I finished my inquisition of Lee Jordan I, again, walked away clueless. And trust me, I used a fair amount of my feminine charms on both parties, but to no avail. I finally came to the conclusion that if Lee Jordan wasn't privy to their plan, then all hope of getting that one vital step ahead of them was lost. I saw no option other than giving up and waiting for them to pull something. I was also lacking in energy to attempt another course of action as I was still suffering from sleep-deprivation. I was very much looking forward to tomorrow –Saturday. I could sleep as long as I wanted; plus, I was safe from the twins' scheming while inside of the girl's dormitory. Hurray for sliding stairs.

Now the only thing left was to make my way safely back to said dorm without incident. I said a soft good-bye to Wes and Dani and stood up, trying not to draw any sort of attention to myself. Some might say I was taking things to an extreme –those people obviously do not know Fred and George Weasley very well.

I was so close, almost to the door. Soon I would be out of the Great Hall and away from the eyes of the two devils. Almost…

"Mercy, c'mon, you couldn't have worn something a bit nicer?"

I stopped and turned to find Fred Weasley standing behind me and giving me a look-over, clearly in disapproval. Damn.

"What are you talking about?"

"He's talking about your clothes, what else?" answered George as he approached. Behind him trotted a Ravenclaw boy whom I was pretty sure was in my year but I couldn't quite place his name.

"What's wrong with my clothes?" I demanded looking down at myself. I was wearing what I usually wore after classes. Today it was a simple pair of flared jeans and a t-shirt declaring that I was a fan of Maroon 5. Not that most students at Hogwarts knew who they were, but they were one of my favourite bands and I couldn't resist the shirt. It did have a picture of Adam Levine on it after all.

"Well it's hardly appropriate date attire, don't you think?"

This shocked and confused me. "Wha….?"

The Ravenclaw boy shifted his feet around nervously, biting his bottom lip and that's when I felt things click. I let out a groan. I couldn't believe the two morons were actually try to set me up.

They had arranged a bloody _date_ for me!

"Ah c'mon Merce, don't be like that," said George seeing the look on my face.

"Yeah," continued Fred. "Alex here is a great guy and he really admires you."

I turned by attention to the Ravenclaw who was apparently named Alex and tried to give him a friendly smile. I wasn't really sure if I succeeded because he wasn't actually looking at me but rather at his feet. He was nervous.

I felt bad for him, I really did. Who knew what the twins had done to rope him into this. And as much as I didn't want to go on whatever sort of date the two demons had planned for us, I knew I wouldn't say no. I couldn't embarrass the poor boy anymore than he already was.

And it wasn't as if he was bad looking. On further inspection he was actually quite handsome. He had brown hair the colour of coffee that hung just below his ears paired with pretty hazel eyes and high cheek bones. I guessed that one date with the guy wouldn't be a _total_ waste of time, even if I didn't know him.

"What do you say Mercy? A walk around the lake, maybe some dessert picnic style?" said Fred, looking at me expectantly.

I sighed. "Why not?"

Huge grins spread across all three of the boys faces as the Ravenclaw looked up at me and the twins high-fived each other. I rolled my eyes.

"Just let me go get my cloak."

I left them, heading for the stairs that would lead me to the Gryffindor tower. Who would have thought that this was what my two friends would be up to? I couldn't help but chuckle a little, shaking off my sleepiness, at least temporarily. I knew that their hearts were in the right place and so far their plan wasn't a _horribly_ annoying one. Hopefully it wouldn't turn into one either. I didn't really mind going on a couple of dates, as long as they guys were interesting enough.

Interesting was one thing I could count on the twins for.

I made my way up to the dorm room I shared with Danielle and another friend of mine, Hermione Granger. I grabbed my cloak from where it was laying in a pile on top of my trunk and looked at myself in the full length mirror hanging on the back of the door.

My long brown hair hung down my back in wild waves, its natural highlights gleaming in the soft glow of the room. My blue eyes were lightly rimmed with black eyeliner, framed by my long lashes. I had olive-toned skin, a trait I had inherited from my half-Italian father and my lips had a natural pout to them. I knew I had a bit of an exotic look to me and I always seemed to be attracting the opposite sex. My personality, however, usually drove them away.

I was headstrong, had a mouth with virtually no filter and a horrible case of clumsiness which I had demonstrated earlier in Potions class. I remembered the rather embarrassing moment of hitting my head on Draco Malfoy's table and let out another sigh of relief. Perhaps everyone was just so used to my tendency to trip (or walk into things…) that it was no longer worth comment. Perhaps I just wasn't important enough for the Slytherin Prince to waste his time on. That one stung a little.

I pushed all these thoughts aside as I combed out my hair, attempting to put myself together a bit more. I even changes my shirt, opting for a slate-grey blouse that buttoned up the front. I might as well look good. I did, after all, have a date.

Alex turned out to be not that bad of a guy. He treated me like a lady (despite my lack of effort to act like one) and tried his best to keep a steady stream of conversation going as we made our way along the lake towards the picnic that the twins had already spread out for us. They promised that they had enchanted it so that it wouldn't be touched by anyone other than us and we therefore didn't have to worry about anything happening to it. They wanted us to take our time and "get to know each other."

There were a few awkward silences but all in all the date went well. Plus, the assortment of desserts was absolutely delicious so even if the entire thing had been a flop at least it wouldn't have been a complete waste of time.

Alex even walked me to the portrait of the Fat Lady as if we were muggles and he was walking me to my door after a night at the movies. It was sweet and even though I didn't find myself all that physically attracted to him, I _did_ find myself agreeing to another date with him later that week.

It seemed that the Weasley twins' scheme wasn't so diabolical after all.

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**A/N:** I know there wasn't any Draco –he doesn't actually come back in until chapter four. The next chapter has some deeper information about Mercy. Don't worry, I have this story pretty well-planned out and I have everything well-developed. No Mary-Sue here. .


	3. Nightmares & Pillows

**A/N:** I told you it wouldn't take long for chapter three to be posted!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything that I did not make up

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**Chapter Three: Nightmares & Pillows**

_If I find my peace of mind, torture me  
If I seem too serene, torture me_

(Torture Me by Metric)

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Things went well with Alex for about a week before it all blew up. Well okay, that may be a slight overstatement. It didn't really blow up; I just didn't have the heart to continue leading him on. I liked him; I just didn't like him the way he seemed to like me. So on the next Thursday following our first date we went for a walk and I broke it off, explaining that I just wanted to be friends. He seemed pretty upset about it, but otherwise took it reasonably well. He told me he needed some time to get over it (whatever "it" was) and then we could be friends. To be honest, it didn't really matter to me; I was just trying to spare his feeling as much as possible.

It didn't take long for the Weasley twins to hear of the break up and it took even less time for them to arrange me another date.

"Why exactly do you seem to think I'm in need of a boyfriend, anyways?" I asked them after the third failed attempt of hooking me up. We were sitting in the common room. Most everyone else had cleared out except for us, Wesley and a few third years. The twins and I had made ourselves comfortable on one of the couches while Wes sat across from us, trying to finish his essay for Muggle Studies. He looked up from his work, however, when I asked my question, clearly interested in the answer the twins would give.

"You deserve someone," said George simply as if this answered everything. I raised a dubious brow.

"That is hardly 42, so get to explaining."

"What?" Fred asked, thoroughly confused. The other two looked just as lost.

I rolled my eyes. Wizards were horrible people to make movie references around. I really need to introduce them to a TV.

They shrugged off the comment, obviously understanding that it was one of my crazy "muggle-American" quirks.

"Honestly Merce," George continued. "We see the way guys look at you, there's got to be one that catches your interest. We want to see you happy."

"What makes you think I'm not happy?" I demanded, slightly offended. Sure my life had a few kinks in it, but otherwise, I was pretty content.

"I dunno Merce, you have been spending more time alone than usual," Wes put in, his eyes fixed on my face.

I opened my mouth to argue but the words never came. So what if I had? A girl had the right to some time to herself, didn't she?

"You've been mumbling in your sleep again," Fred said, his voice slightly quieter than it had been before. I felt myself stiffen.

"How do you know that?" I asked, immediately suspicious. Neither twin said anything but rather exchanged identical looks of concern. I sighed.

"Hermione told you," I said. I knew it wouldn't have been Danielle –the blonde punk-rocker was sworn to confidentiality. But Hermione was different. If she thought something was wrong she wouldn't hesitate to go to my two closest friends. The nods the twins gave me in response confirmed it.

"We thought maybe if you found someone it would take your mind off of things," George explained, carefully watching my face to gauge my reaction.

I sank back into the couch cushions and rubbed my temples, trying to make sense of everything. I knew I had a tendency to mumble when I slept, and I knew that sometimes it wasn't very pleasant. I was no stranger to nightmares. They're hard to avoid when you see your own sister die right before you. I was only eleven and we had been in the car on our way to the airport.

Our father was a muggle, but our mother was a witch. I had just gotten my letter of acceptance to Hogwarts –mom wrote a letter to the Headmaster requesting my attendance to the school upon our move to England. It was the day of our departure when the truck slammed into our car. We were all banged up pretty bad, lots of broken bones and bleeding. We were apparated to St. Mungo's immediately by a friend of my mother's where we were given treatment. But it was too late for my little sister –she had died on impact. Delia was her name; she was only seven and the cutest little thing. She had been a muggle like my father.

Every now and then I went through periods where I became slightly reclusive and began to have nightmares reliving that day. A lot of the time I wasn't even aware of what I was doing and it had been at least a year since the last time it had started happening. I'd never really told anyone about what had happened, just the twins along with Wesley and Danielle and none of them had ever told anyone. Hermione had found out on her own; I had given it away in my sleep.

"Geez," I said finally. "I didn't even realize. I guess that's why my sleep has been off lately."

"We didn't think you had, we were just trying to help you," replied Fred, slinging his arm around my shoulders.

I gave a weak smile. It was an interesting solution; I wasn't really sure how they'd figured out the logic behind it but I decided not to ask. "Thanks."

"Besides," George put in, "we were bored. And what better way to entertain ourselves than to set our good friend Mercedes up on a couple of blind dates?"

I had to laugh at that, no matter how pathetic I knew the noise must sound. "What would I do without you guys?"

George made a face and pointed over at Wesley "Then you'd be stuck with this crummy bloke and he's no fun."

The twin promptly found himself hit in the face with a pillow. Wesley grinned triumphantly. The room then turned into a war zone as a particularly vicious battle of pillows ensued, scaring the wits out of the group of third years and sending them fleeing to their rooms. I ducked behind one of the couches, clutching a crimson pillow with gold embroidery and debating on whether it was safe to take a peek at where the others were. I decided that it was and was then immediately proved wrong.

I was knocked back by the force of which Fred nailed me with his pillow which was significantly larger than the one I threw in retaliation. Just as I was about to start yelling at him, footsteps could be heard descending the stairs as Hermione entered the room.

"What on Earth are you doing?" she demanded. "People are trying to sleep!"

Wesley and I both couldn't keep from grinning but hid our infectious smiles from the brunette. The twins, however, made no such attempt, shamelessly sniggering to themselves.

"Sorry 'Mione," I apologized, standing up. I brushed myself off and shot a look at the two redheads, trying to be scolding. Not that I succeeded.

Hermione just rolled her eyes. "Shouldn't you all be in bed?"

"Uh, yeah," said Wesley, gathering up his work which had been carelessly scattered across the floor.

With one more stern look, the book-loving brunette made her way back up the stairs. I rounded on the twins who were now attempting to look innocent. They did that a lot, but always seemed to fail miserably.

"I appreciate what you guys are trying to do, but I'll be fine. I always am."

Neither twin seemed very convinced of this. I sighed. "I'm going to bed."

As I went for the stairs I felt something soft hit me in the back of the head with enough force to almost knock me over. I had to grab at the stair railing just to keep my balance. One look down revealed the offending object to be another pillow. I turned to find the two Weasley's grinning at me.

"We love you, Merce," said George. Fred nodded in agreement.

I tried to fight back a smile and look angry but I just couldn't. "I love you, too."

Please, please, PLEASE review.


	4. Collision

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything that I didn't make up

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**Chapter Four: Collision**

_I'm just a girl, what's my destiny?  
What I've succumbed to Is making me numb  
I'm just a girl, my apologies _

(Just A Girl by No Doubt)

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I ducked behind a suit of armor, cautiously peeking around the side to see if they were behind me. I was going to _kill_ those two redheaded demons. Ever since they had it affirmed by Hermione and Danielle that I was no longer mumbling in my sleep they had taken to not only continue setting me up, but sticking me with the _worst_ people. They're sense of humour really could be twisted sometimes.

I could handle being set up with Neville Longbottom (actually, I've always felt a kinship for him –we're both horribly klutzy), and I managed to get through the hour with the kid who talked about nothing but species of lizards. I'd even taken the self-proclaimed psychic (he could have rivaled Professor Trelawney in his accuracy, that one) in stride, but this was just _intolerable_.

It wasn't so much the guy (although he wasn't much to rave about either), but more about the date they had set up. In reality, I very much had a problem with the event they had set up in the common room and then had volunteered me to participate in. _Karaoke_, for Christ's sake.

I loved to sing, don't get me wrong. I _despise_ singing in front of other people. I always end up psyching myself out so bad that I start to sweat and shake from nerves. I even threw up once. The twins, those bastards, _knew_ this. I had just narrowly escaped the room while they'd had their backs briefly turned to me. I'm pretty sure that Ginny Weasley (the youngest of the Weasley clan and the only girl among six brothers) saw me going through the portrait hole, but I trusted her not to say anything. Heaven-sent, that girl.

I waited a few minutes in my hiding spot but no one came. I breathed a sigh of relief. I didn't doubt that I would be found; I was just hoping to buy myself a decent amount of time. I out-right refused to sing so my only course of action was to come up with some sort of plan to talk the two devils out of it. Blackmail maybe?

Yeah, that could work.

I pushed myself away from the wall and with one more glance around to make sure I was still alone, started to make my way down the corridor. I mentally dug through everything I knew about the twins, searching for a juicy bit of information that could serve as adequate blackmail material. I'd spent a lot of time with the Weasley family at the Burrow (their home in the English countryside) as well as at school. There had to be something.

I cursed Hogwarts' electronic killing force field (or whatever it is; I'm not Hermione, I don't have _Hogwarts, A History_ memorized) –I could really use a computer with good internet to email Mrs. Weasley for some embarrassing dirt on her identical sons. Not that she had a computer or would have any idea on how to use one if she did. I'm sure Mr. Weasley… I remembered an incident with the toaster and shook my head. Scratch that.

I was deep in thought when I felt myself collide with something firm and rather warm that, upon contact, sent little shivers across my body. It was quickly apparent that I had walked into someone. I hadn't even noticed the person rushing quite quickly towards me and evidence suggested that they had been equally unaware.

I let out a little squeak of surprise (curse my girly instincts) and jumped back. The other party whipped their head around to look at me confirming that they hadn't been paying attention to what was _in front_ of them –hence the collision– and I let out another squeak.

More curses.

"Good god, you sound like a dying mouse."

I shot dagger eyes at the offender and possibly one of the last people I wanted to see at the moment. The Slytherin Prince himself.

"Maybe you should be more careful," I said smugly, copying the very words he'd said to me when I'd hit my head on his table a couple of weeks ago. Judging by the look he gave me it was obvious that he didn't remember. I felt my face fall a little. There went my attempt at being witty.

"I do believe that that should apply to you as well… Gryffindor." He spat out that last word as if it were poison. He'd caught sight of the crimson and gold badge I had pinned to my shirt. I then came to the realization that Draco Malfoy had no idea who I was –I had Potions with him (had for just over four years, now) and he needed a badge to tell him what House I was even in.

For some unknown and quite irksome reason, this bothered me.

"Where were you going in such a hurry anyways?" I said acidly.

He straightened himself out a bit so that he was looking down on me and I rolled my eyes. What a complete and utter _male_.

"I don't see how that's any of your business," he sneered.

I gave a nonchalant shrug and pushed past him. "Whatever."

"Hold it!" he cried suddenly, grabbing hold of my arm. I looked down at where he had made contact, trying to ignore the tingling feeling it seemed to elicit. We both froze for a moment before he quickly released me.

"Umbridge is coming that way," he said, his eyes shifting down the corridor.

This confused me. "I thought you were in favour of the hag." I scrunched my nose up in disgust just thinking about the vile woman.

Dolores Umbridge: new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, lackey to the Minister of Magic (a complete _moron_, by the way), and possibly the biggest bitch to walk the planet. The Slytherins had taken an instant liking to her.

For a second Draco was speechless. I raised a brow at him in questioning and he scowled.

"I am, if you must know. I was just warning you."

The guy was really trying to throw me for a loop here. "Why would _you_ warn _me_? I mean, I _am_ a Gryffindor, as you so keenly observed.

The blonde's eyes narrowed even more and I couldn't help but think that one day he'd be stuck like that. It was a rather childish thought, I'll admit, but I couldn't help but giggle a little. I was such a girl sometimes.

"I was just… being… nice…?" he replied. He said it as if it were a question, clearly unsure about what he was saying and I was forced to repress another giggle.

"Please, like I believe that."

He sighed and the action was so uncharacteristic of the blonde that I was completely thrown off. Well, thrown off even more than I already was. The situation was all very awkward and full of surprises. I was simply at a loss for what to do; nothing was making any sense.

"Alright," he said finally, looking me in the eye. I felt my heart speed up as if I had just had an electric shock sent through my body. I silently reprimanded myself. Sure the boy was gorgeous, but he was an asshole. Must not forget that Mercy.

"I'm trying to avoid her."

I let that bit of information sink into my brain. That didn't make any sense either. "Why?"

"I just am," he snapped. I put my hands up in mock surrender.

"Fine, whatever, but why'd you tell me she was coming? She'd probably accuse me of some horrible atrocity and give me a month of detention and don't tell me you wouldn't enjoy that."

He rolled his eyes as if I were some kind of idiot. I grit my teeth in frustration. See, an asshole.

"I don't need you telling her where-"

He was cut off as the sound of voices reverberated off the walls, clearly headed in our direction. I instantly recognized the speakers as none other than Hogwarts' caretaker, the nasty and bitter Filch (my theory is that he's sexually frustrated) and the bitch Umbridge herself.

"Damn," Draco cursed. Before I knew it I was being pushed into an empty classroom, the Slytherin's firm grip keeping me from shoving him away. He shut the door as quickly and quietly as he could and signaled for me to be silent.

Usually I would resent being told to do –my natural reaction to commands was to disobey them. It's one of the reasons why the Sorting Hat placed me in Gryffindor. However, I didn't particularly want to be caught by Umbridge either so promptly kept my mouth shut. With my luck there was some new rule against the flip-flops I was wearing. Plus, I just happened to belong to the hag's least favourite House and it was probably best not to push it.

So we waited, neither of us speaking a word as the voices came closer, eventually passing right by us and then fading away as they turned into another corridor. It seemed they were looking for a suspected group of Hufflepuffs roaming the halls and causing havoc. I highly doubted that this was true but was immensely relieved when they were gone. I let out a small breath I hadn't been aware that I was holding.

"What's your name anyways?"

The question startled me as my gaze snapped to where the Slytherin Prince was leaning against the wall, his arms lazily crossed over his chest. He really was gorgeous, the kind of handsome that made your heart almost stop when you looked at him. It really was a shame about his oh-so-sunny personality.

Instead of answering I made my way back to the door, taking a peek outside before I opened it. I needed to get away from him; he was doing funny things to me that I really didn't like.

"Are you going to answer me?"

I was just about to walk away, leaving him standing there with no sort of reply but I just couldn't do it.

"Mercedes."

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I LOVE this chapter, personally. I love the way Mercy's thoughts came up, it makes me happy. Hopefully whoever else other than CountessSia who reads this liked it, too. I honestly don't know when I'll have the next chapter up but hopefully it will be within a week or so. But I have started to work on my KH fic again, so nothing is for sure.

Please R E V I E W ! ! !


	5. Hormones

**A/N:** I _finally_ have a new chapter for you guys! Woot! Sorry it took so long, I got distracted. This chapter isn't all that long but I promise you, it's good. Chapter 6 is already in the making so fear not. But PLEASE review! I'm in desperate need of an ego boost. I really want to keep going with this story but there's not really a point if no one's reading and giving feedback.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything I didn't make up

Now! On with the the story!

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**Chapter Five: Hormones**

_All alone in my room, think of you at a rate that is truly alarming  
I keep looping my memories of you in my head, I pretend that you want me_

(Can't Stop by Maroon 5)

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**

I chose not to think about why I had given him my name; if he didn't know it by now I obviously wasn't notable enough for him to concern himself with. But part of me wanted him to know who I was –not that that made any sense. It was just Draco Malfoy. I didn't even like the guy.

When I got back to the Gryffindor common room I was practically attacked by the twins who then tried to coerce me into singing. They backed off, however, when I threatened to tell a rather humiliating story about the two of them involving a rubber chicken and feminine hygiene products (even _they_ were embarrassed about that one.)

I collapsed onto my bed, pulling the plushy crimson comforter over myself and buried my head in the pillow. I knew I was going to have to get back up; I still had Divination homework to finish. But it wouldn't be hard (all I had to do was talk about a dream I'd had lately –it was a good outlet to practice my creative writing), so I stayed where I was. If worse came to worse I could just finish it in the morning during breakfast.

I couldn't get Draco Malfoy out of my head. The Slytherin prince was arrogant, self-centered, and all-in-all annoying. He antagonized perfectly decent people, was manipulative, and had a smirk that made you want to punch him.

Or kiss him…

Oh dear god, what was _wrong_ with me? Why the hell did he have to be so damn tasty-looking? Had I just used the word "tasty"? I groaned and buried me head deeper into the nest of cottony softness. I could just die thinking the things I was about Draco.

"Malfoy," I corrected myself. I had to refer to him as Malfoy and distance myself from him. Well that shouldn't be too hard; he hadn't even known I'd been in existence until today. And for reasons unknown, that hurt.

Dammit Mercy, quit it!

"Uh… Mercy? Who are you talking to?"

Crap, I must have said that last part out loud. As if people didn't think I was crazy enough.

"Um, no one. It's nothing," I replied as I looked up as Hermione entered the room. She gave me a weird look but didn't say anything more as she changed for bed. Things in the common room must have been winding down because Danielle soon followed.

Unable to even contemplate the idea of sleeping, I waited until my two dorm-mates had fallen asleep and tiptoed downstairs, my divination homework in hand. At close to one in the morning I found myself sitting in one of the overstuffed chairs alone. Even the twins had ceased with their shenanigans and wandered up to their beds.

I laid a piece of parchment out on a copy of _Hogwarts, A History_ that someone had left on one of the tables. I stared at the paper, unable to stay focused on the task at hand. A dream… had a dreamed lately? If I had, I didn't remember any of them. That meant that I got a chance to use the creativity section of my brain…

After a few moments I found myself wondering where exactly in the brain that section was because it evidently needed to be poked in order to wake it up.

A couple more minutes passed.

Or beaten.

I let out a frustrated growl and let my mind wander where it would which of course was to Malfoy. I was like an infatuated little schoolgirl and it was really starting to tick me off. I shouldn't want to hear his voice, to see him again.

To jump him when I did see him again.

And then my quill started to work. I wrote like I had never written before, letting the ink flow across the parchment as if it had a will of its own. And the writing was wonderful, absolutely beautiful (which was surprising seeing as I usually wasn't that good) but at the end I couldn't help but growl some more, crumple up the paper and throw it across the room.

I had just written a 3-page story about a girl who fell in love with an arrogant bastard named Drake.

Dammit.

After a couple minutes I finally decided to translate the offending story into a dream that I then attempted to pick apart for my homework. It worked but I wasn't happy about it. I just hoped that Trelawney didn't somehow pick up on the fact that it somehow related to me and…

What the hell was I talking about, it was Trelawney. She wouldn't have been able to pick up on it if I had handed in a paper that said "I want to rape Draco Malfoy."

Interesting. I had progressed from jumping to raping. I really need to a get a hold of my hormones.

I unfolded my limbs and pushed myself up off the chair, stretching my arms above me and yawning. I needed to get some sleep. I was going to be more like a zombie than anything else in the morning as it was. So, as much as I didn't really want to move, I shuffled back up the stairs and to my bed to rest my eyes until I was forced to get up and go back to classes.

I didn't want to admit it, but it wasn't something I could really deny. To other people, maybe, but not to myself.

My heart sped up about tenfold when I saw Draco the next day in Potions.

But I didn't jump _or_ rape him.

No matter how much I wanted to.

I told you it was good! Hehe, I love Mercy's character. She's so much fun to play around with. Please drop a review!


	6. The Queen Bitch

**A/N**: Alright, I know it's been awhile since the last update and I feel really bad for not getting this up sooner, but rejoice, chapter 6 is finally here! Yay! Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything that I didn't make up.

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**Chapter Six: The Queen Bitch**

_Sometimes I wish I could just close my eyes  
Wish you away  
You're the song I hate  
But I can't let go _

(Song I Hate by The Toadies)

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**

He had looked right at me. We'd stared at each other for a moment, neither of us really knowing what to do until he finally looked away, resuming his conversation with Pansy. Even as I was now looking at the back of his head, I couldn't get the tingling sensation to go away.

"Are you alright Merce?" asked Dani, flipping the braid she'd just finished putting in her hair over her shoulder. I gave myself a mental shake and smiled.

"Yeah, I'm fine. What's the next ingredient?"

She scrunched up her face in disgust as she read the board. "Ugh, frog legs."

"You know, some people actually eat frog legs," said Wesley from where he sat on Dani's other side.

"Ew!" she exclaimed. "That's so gross!"

I grinned and picked up the frog legs (they were dried out so it wasn't that bad) and dropped them into the mixture. The contents of the cauldron then proceeded to turn a ghastly shade of green. A quick look back up at the instructions confirmed that we were doing it right so far.

For once.

It was supposed to be some kind of repellant for some creature or another. To be honest I hadn't really been paying attention. I hated Potions and I could never quite keep my mind focused on the lessons. If it wasn't for Wesley, Gryffindor's potions-whiz, I would have been failing horribly. Dani knew what she was doing most of the time, but she didn't really like to touch most of the stuff. That's where I came in. I had to be helpful _somehow_.

I tended to lose my helpfulness, however, when I spaced out. Which I did. And when Dani snapped her fingers in front of my face I couldn't help but let out a squeak of surprise, jumping and managing to smash my hand against the heavy cauldron. Hard.

I felt my eyes widen in pain and I tried to choke back a cry. I swear my hand tripled in size in a matter of seconds.

"Miss. Chambers," came Snape's cold voice. He was standing in front of our table and scowling. I'd done it now.

"What did I tell you about disrupting my class?"

"I'm sorry, sir," I said, nursing my hand. "It was an accident."

"It always is," he said dryly. I winced in pain as well as at the tone of his voice.

"I think I need to go to the hospital wing."

The Potions master glanced down at my hand which was now a bright shade of red as well as horribly swollen.

"Go," he snapped. "And do not come back to my class today."

I gave a tiny nod and scurried form my seat. My friends gave me sympathetic looks as I grabbed my bag and packed up my supplies. As I made my way to the door I felt eyes on me, making me shiver. A quick look over my shoulder revealed Draco watching me with an expression that I couldn't quite figure out.

Snape cleared his throat and I made a dash for the stairs. I was pretty convinced that I'd broken my hand.

I was tempted to take another look back to catch one more glimpse of the oh-so-sexy Slytherin Prince, but I checked myself. My hand was throbbing and that really had to be my first priority no matter how much I wanted to melt i8nto his eyes…

Fuck! I let out an annoyed growl that probably made me sound like some kind of deranged animal.

"Excuse me? What was that Miss. Chambers?"

Goddammit all to hell. Umbridge. I hadn't even noticed her.

"Nothing professor," I mumbled, glancing up to make brief eye contact with the pig-faced hag before quickly dropping my gaze.

"I do believe you growled at me," she said in that sickeningly sweet voice that just screamed 'I'm a crazy sadistic bitch!'

"No, I wasn't," I said, trying to plead my case, knowing how pointless it most likely would be. "I hit my hand and it hurts and awful lot. I growled in pain."

Okay, so that was mostly true and it sounded a hell of a lot better than mentioning my new burning obsession with a certain blonde-haired boy.

"What a convenient excuse," she said giving me a nasty smile. I didn't groan like I wanted to, but I thought about it.

"Detention," she said simply. "I want to see you in my office after dinner everyday for the next week."

"Yes professor," I mumbled through clenched teeth. God, the woman was absolutely _hateful_.

"Don't be late," she said, her tone hardening slightly as she gave me a rather malicious glare.

I wanted to reply with a sarcastic "I wouldn't dream of it" but I bit my tongue (figuratively of course, I didn't need to cause myself any more physical pain today.) A week's detention was going to be bad enough, one of my smart-ass remarks was really not going to help the situation.

She gave me a last stern look before walking away. When I was sure she was out of earshot I let out a sigh of relief. Now on top of my rather unhealthy and annoying infatuation with Draco Malfoy, I also had to deal with the Queen Bitch of Hogwarts. Plus my hand was now screaming at me for some medical attention.

Today really wasn't the best of days.


	7. Filling Time

**A/N:** It's been forever since I've updated, I know. I've either been busy or lazy. However my beloved Sue inspired me to write more so I finally have the next chapter for all of you. It's not incredibly long, but you'll like the ending. Hopefully… Chapter 8 will be in the works soon and hopefully won't take as long for me to post.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything that I did not make up

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**Chapter Seven- Filling Time**

_If you think you need to go  
If you wanted to be free  
There's just one thing you need to know  
And that's that you can't count on me_

(You Can't Count On Me by Counting Crows)

**

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**

My hand was fine after only about 10 minutes of Madame Pomfrey attending it; she really was a miracle worker when it came to injuries. I was rushed out of the hospital wing, however, when she insisted that I get back to class because she needed the cot I was sitting on for a poor boy that had gone and stunned himself. Ah, to be a first year again.

I walked down the corridor at a rather slow pace for me, contemplating on what to do with my time now. I couldn't go back to Potions class, not that I really had any desire to return anyways. I could go back to the common room but I knew that no one would be there; everyone was still in class and would be for the next hour or so. I really didn't want to sit around by myself; that always led to thinking and I didn't particularly want to think right now. Because I knew if I let myself get lost inside of my own head that my mind would simply wander over to the topic of Draco Malfoy (again) and that I most certainly did not want. I was thinking about the snobby, self-absorbed prat too much as of late and it was really starting to get on my nerves.

Do not think of him, I told myself forcefully as I made my way to the library. I figured I'd catch up on some homework and studying while I had the free time. I worked better without distractions; because as much as I loved my friends they always had me procrastinating. And, hopefully, the work would keep my mind off of the blond Slytherin. Hopefully.

I made my way to a table toward the back of the library to avoid the penetrating eyes of the Hogwarts librarian. I pulled out the books from my backpack and laid out everything in front of me, taking stock of what I had with me and what I could get done while everyone else was in class. Unfortunately, I didn't have my Transfiguration homework, which was what I really needed to get done, but I was too lazy to run all the way to the Gryffindor Tower just to get it. I was simply not that motivated about schoolwork. So instead I settled myself into my Potions book –I had missed getting the weeks homework but I knew it would be on the next chapter so I figured I might as well get a head start. So I made myself as comfortable as is possible in a hard wooden chair and buckled down on perhaps actually learning a thing or two about potion making. I even took notes.

I heard the bell ring roughly forty-five minutes later and was quite relieved to be done with the potions textbook I had been grueling over; I had never been fond of the topic. On the brighter side, however, I had successfully distracted myself from thought of Draco Malfoy so I claimed victory but hurried off to the Great Hall where everyone else would be gathering for dinner. I was starved.

"Mercy! Over here!"

I looked around to find Danni waving her arms, beckoning me over to the seats her and Wesley had saved at the Gryffindor table. I made my way past the flow of students and threw myself down onto the bench.

"How's your hand?" Wesley asked, glancing down at said previously injured limb.

"Fine now thank to Madam Pomfrey. I was in and out in 10 minutes and just spent the past hour in the library."

Wesley wrinkled his nose at this statement. "Why?"

"Indeed, Merce, why?" came a voice from behind us. Fred and George approached the table and plopped down to the right of me.

I rolled my eyes. "I was doing a little thing called homework, maybe you've heard of it?"

"Nope, can't say I have," said Fred.

"Sounds awfully unpleasant though," added George.

"Ugh, you guys are ridiculous," said Dani, scooping up a bunch of potatoes and plopping it down on her plate.

"But we're funny," pointed out Fred. Well, no one could deny that.

"Did you have class anyways?" George asked. "Why were you in the library?"

"I hurt my hand in Potions and Snape told me not to come back."

"Oye, what'd you do this time?" questioned Fred, both of the twins laughing. They always got a good chuckle or two over my injuries. Probably because they were so often…

"I smashed my hand on a cauldron," I grumbled. _That_ got a good chuckle from them. How to redeem myself? Make them pity me.

"And I have detention with Umbridge for a week."

I was not teased for the rest of the meal.

So I made the trek to the new and piggish Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher's office, hating every step that I took that brought me closer to what could only be pure torture. Needless to say I dragged it out as long as I could; not that being late was going to do me any good. The last thing I wanted was for the hag to extend my punishment. On that thought I sped up a bit to at least a normal pace.

I was so concentrated on the impending doom that I didn't even notice the person walking toward me. And of course my lack of observatory skills led me right into them; literally. I really had to stop colliding with things and people. I was seriously going to harm myself one day.

"Geez, you really don't know how to pay attention to where you're going do you?"

Oh god… it couldn't be… again?

"Sorry about that," I mumbled, looking up at the gorgeous blonde Slytherin. It had to be Draco Malfoy, it couldn't possibly have been anyone else. I was simply not that lucky in my life.

"I'm almost tempted not to give you this," he said, casually waving a piece of parchment in my face.

I quirked an eyebrow. "What is it?"

He sighed but handed it over. "I thought you might need it." And with that he walked away. _Well that was weird_, I thought to myself. I looked down at the parchment to find that it was out potions homework –a paper on the moon's role in potion making. And under the assignment was a list of page numbers. Snape did not give helpful pages for us to look at for our work. Which only meant that Draco did.

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**A/N:** So tell me what you guys think. Please PLEASE drop me a review, it keeps me writing _-Shadow_


	8. Detention

**A/N:** I told you I wouldn't keep you waiting long ^.^ Thanks to those of you that left me a review, I really appreciate it. I know the last chapter really wasn't that great, I was just trying to get back into writing this thing. However, I think you'll all quite enjoy this chapter.

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**Chapter 8- Detention**

_Hit me hard, hit right between the eyes.  
Wanna see the stars. Hit me, hit me!_

(Hit Me Hard by The Sounds)

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**

I stared at the piece of parchment, dumbfounded. I couldn't wrap my brain around it and for a good minute or two, I just stood there like a bumbling idiot, completely unaware of what I was supposed to be doing.

_Why?_ was the big question that I just could not answer. Why the hell would Draco Malfoy help me? _Me_ of all people! Not only was I a Gryffindor, I was a ridiculous klutz that did nothing but fall into tables and who had now walked into the guy (literally) _twice!_ If anything I would have expected him to avoid me at all costs, I was a damn safety hazard.

After a few minutes of pondering this in my head I remembered what I was supposed to be doing and where I was headed. I let out a groan of despair. Detention with Umbridge, right.

Fuck.

I practically ran to her office, repeating over and over again, "Please don't let me be late! Please don't let me be late!"

"You're late."

The voice was a disgusting sweet sound with very menacing undertones.

"I'm sorry professor," I said, looking more at my feet than at her. "It won't happen again."

"It best not," she replied, glaring at me as if I was the most despicable person to walk the Earth. I didn't really mind all that much. The feeling was mutual.

Her office was just about as revolting as she was. The entire room was like pink, lacey floral vomit. I think the worst part were the decorative kitten plates ornamenting the wall in a rather grotesque way. I had never quite disliked kittens (or plates for that matter) as I did upon walking into that room.

"Take a seat," she said sharply, pointing to a wooden chair and desk that had been set aside. Not even the chair had escaped a pink seat cushion that looked like it had a doily sewed onto it. There was really nothing more tasteless than a doily.

"You will write 'I will respect my elders' one hundred times."

I nodded and sat down; there was already a piece of parchment, ink and a quill set out on the desk. I sighed inwardly but set to work. It would be tedious, but it wasn't as bad as it could be. Although, it would have been nice if I didn't have to deal with the uncomfortable sensation of being watched almost constantly. I wanted to turn around with a witty remark about her staring problem and watch her pug-like face twist in anger but I knew that really wasn't a good idea. I did not need to be in any more trouble with her than I already was. I had crushed my hopes of staying under her radar; I didn't want to have my name added to her list of tortured students. I liked Harry and all but I didn't want to join his ranks.

My hand had started to cramp up and ache a bit by the time I was done but all in all I had survived in one piece and hadn't managed to dig myself a deeper hole. A miracle that one was.

I turned in my lines and after Umbridge inspected them for probably a good five minutes, I was free to go with a reminder to be on time tomorrow night. I withheld my annoyed mimic of her until I was a couple corridors away from her office.

"Be on time," I mocked in the best annoying little girl voice I could muster. I made a face but just let out a sigh and made my way back to the Gryffindor Tower.

Dwelling on Umbridge wasn't going to do me any good. I did, however, have other things bouncing around in my brain. The assignment Draco had given me had not escaped my thoughts by any means. I hadn't been able to stop thinking about it all through detention.

I just couldn't figure it out; why would Draco Malfoy go to such lengths just to give me Potions homework _with_ the added help of the page numbers. He had an in with Umbridge but he still would have had to do some prying to figure out I had detention with her. Had he… _had he been watching me!?_

How else could he have possibly known? How else would he have known I would be going to Umbridge's office at that time?

And in addition to that he had to have done some work in order to give me the page numbers to use. He'd really gone out of his way for this.

But goddammit, why?

Before I knew it I was standing in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Mimbulus Mimbletonia," I mumbled. The portrait swung open and climbed through to enter upon the warmth and familiarity of the Gryffindor Common Room. I was immediately bombarded by the Weasley twins.

"Merce! You're alive!" Fred exclaimed.

I laughed, making my way to one of the plush armchairs. "Yeah, I'm alive, she just made me do lines."

Hermione, who was sitting at a table a few feet away, perked her head up. "Lines? Can I see the back of your hand?"

I raised my brow curiously but held up the back of my hand for her to see. She looked at it for a few seconds and then let out a sigh of relief.

"Hermione, what-?" I started but she just waved her hand at me nonchalantly.

"Nevermind," she said, "it's nothing." And with that she stood and hurried up the stairs to the girl's dormitory.

"That was odd," I said, turning back to the twins.

"I think she's been spending too much time in the library," said George.

"It's making her a bit off," added Fred. I opened my mouth to defend the poor girl but ended up just grinning.

"I'd be miserable without the two of you."

The twins liked that statement and followed it with a spiel on how everyone's lives would be duller and simply not as fulfilled without them. I rolled my eyes but smiled all the while. I had meant what I said; if it wasn't for them I'd probably be ripping my hair out right then.

Draco Malfoy, what was your game?

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**A/N:** So tell me what you guys think. I thrive on reviews, they keep me writing. I already have most of this planned out in my head, if you review I'll write it out and post it for you


	9. Mercy's Saviour

**A/N:** Thank you so much for the reviews guys! Seriously, reviews are what keep me writing this thing. ^.^ I told you it wouldn't take me long to get the next chapter up for you guys and here it is! Yay! -throws confetti- So get ready for some more Mercy-Draco action! xD

**Disclaimer****: **I don't own anything that I didn't make up

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**Chapter 9 – Mercy's Saviour**

_And I wish I knew everything there is to know about you.  
And I want you to see just exactly what you mean to me.  
And you – you think you know me.  
I guarantee there's a lot more to see._

(Under The Stars by Tom Felton)

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**

The page numbers were right and ended up being very helpful. I managed to finish my essay in half the time in usually would have taken me.

Draco was driving me crazy and I wanted to confront him but the next few days offered no opportunity for me to do so. He carefully avoided me to the point where the only time I saw him was in Potions. And I very well couldn't approach him then.

And on top of that I still had detention with Umbridge. I was pretty sure that all the time spent in her office was going to start making my eyes bleed. Pink really was a wretched colour. Although detention did keep me out of the scheming hands of Fred and George. They were still quite determined to find me a boyfriend and it was nice to have a legitimate excuse to decline the blind dates for a week. Not that writing lines was any more enjoyable but I hadn't really been given a choice on the matter.

By my third day of detention I was at my wits end. Between the writing and the pink and Draco and my damn hormones I felt like I was about to burst. Like I was coming undone, splitting at the seams, about to combust!

I left detention that night half-crazed; it must have been noticeable, too, because Umbridge gave me an odd look when I handed her my lines. She didn't even take as long to check it over as she normally did, sending me out the door and telling me same time tomorrow night.

I went to bed that night completely on edge. I'd barely talked to my friends after I'd gotten back to the common room and hadn't been able to concentrate on my homework at all. Eventually I just gave up, gathered my things together with an annoyed huff and made my way upstairs to the dormitories to try to get some sleep.

That why when I woke up the next morning I was pleasantly surprised. I felt refreshed, like I'd had some kind of epiphany while I was sleeping that I couldn't quite remember. The tension seemed to have gone out of my body and Draco Malfoy had _not_ been one of my first thought upon waking up for the first time in a week. Instead I felt myself rejoicing to the fact that it was a beautiful day outside and smiled.

I could tell my friends felt better now that I didn't seem so hot and bothered, but none of them said anything. To be honest, they all probably thought it was something relating to my sister. The only reason I didn't correct them was… well… it was _Draco_ after all.

I had such a good day I even managed to get through History of Magic without Hermione having to poke and prod me every couple of minutes to keep me awake. That was a day I thought I would never see.

Detention came around again after dinner and I left my friends with a small wave and a slight smile to make my way to the ghastly pink room. Umbridge would be an unpleasant addition to this day but would not kill it. I would not allow her to stomp all over my cheery mood.

The revolting little grin she gave me as I entered the room only served to slightly damper my mood. I sat down at the desk to write one hundred more _I will respect my elders'_.

I hadn't seen Draco Malfoy all day. I smiled to myself at that. I'd decided that I simply did not care what his game was. He was doing nothing but driving me crazy and I shouldn't have allowed him to do so. He was just a stuck up Slytherin prat after all. I was putting Draco out of my mind permanently. I would no longer question; I would simply accept and move on. It was a much better approach to the situation then letting him drive me up a wall.

I had gotten about fifteen lines done when there was a knock on the door. I glanced up for a moment but the look Umbridge shot had me instantly looking back down at the parchment, continuing to scribble out my punishment. I heard the nasty hag get up from her seat and answer the door.

"Hello professor, sorry to bother you but I came to ask if I could borrow Mercedes. I know she's here for detention but I really need her."

My back was to the door so I couldn't see who it was but I _knew_ that voice. My drop dropped and I was glad they couldn't see me. I probably looked like a gaping idiot. I tended to make myself look like a total dimwit more often than I would have liked. I snapped my mouth shut and slowly turned to the door where I was being stared at by Umbridge and Draco Malfoy.

"And what would you need Miss. Chambers for?" Umbridge asked turning to Malfoy. I watched as her face turned from disgusted to a sweet little smile as she went from looking at me to the blond boy in the doorway.

"A potions project, professor," said Draco casually. "We were assigned to work together and I really need her to help me with something."

I couldn't believe it! Draco Malfoy was lying to Umbridge to get me out of detention! Because not only were we not working together, there definitely was no potions project.

"Very well then," said Umbridge, tightlipped. She turned to me and nothing about the look she was giving me was friendly.

"You are free to go Miss. Chambers but I expect to see you here tomo-"

"Actually," Draco interrupted, "I'll need her tomorrow night as well. We have a bit of work to do."

The new DADA teacher raised a brow but just waved her hand. "Fine, fine, I just hope you've learned your lesson Miss. Chambers."

I nodded my head, not trusting my mouth to speak and made my way to the door. I caught Draco's eye for a split second before he looked away and back to Umbridge.

"Thank you professor."

She just let out a tiny "humph" as we left, shutting the door rather loudly behind us.

Now I was really wondering what the hell was going on. I could feel myself unraveling inside as we got farther and farther away from her office. Apparently all that tension that I thought I was free of was really only just beneath the surface. As we turned down another corridor I couldn't help but explode.

"Alright," I said, coming to a complete halt. "I demand some answers."

Draco kept walking.

"Hey!" I called after him. He couldn't possibly expect to just walk away without giving me some explanations.

But seeing as he didn't stop, apparently he did.

"Hey!" I called again, rather lamely.

He turned to face me with a blank look. "Yes?"

I was actually surprised he'd stopped. A good part of me really hadn't expected him, too. It took me a minute to pull myself together and put the words that were awkwardly coming out of my mouth into a cohesive question.

'Why did you do that? Why did you get me out of my detention like that?"

"I'm sorry, do you particularly enjoy detention?"

That threw me off. "I-uh-well… no…"

"Well then, what's the problem?"

I scrunched my face up in annoyance. "Well, I want to know _why_ you did it."

"Does it matter?" I couldn't believe how indifferent he looked on the matter. Certainly he had to have some kind of reasoning… right?

"Yes," I replied, "it matters very much. You're driving me mental."

I might as well be honest.

"_I'm_ driving you mental?" He took a few steps back toward me and I thought I saw a faint smirk on his lips. His lips… I felt my heart skip a beat. Oh dear… why did he have to be so damn gorgeous? I just couldn't keep my wits straight around him.

"Yes," I said. With him looking at me like that, 'yes' was all I could really make my mouth say.

"Can I see your hand?" he asked, "the one you write with?"

Him too? What was with people wanting to look at my hand lately? I didn't see what was so bloody interesting about my writing appendage! I held up my hand for him to see anyways. He moved forward again, this time so that he was a mere few feet away from me. He looked at it for a moment before glancing up to meet my curious gaze.

"I thought- well, it doesn't matter. You should get back to your common room, it's late."

"What did you think?" I insisted. Goddammit I wanted answers! First he had hid me from Umbridge, then he'd helped me on homework, and _then_ he had lied to get me out of detention!

Plus I really wanted to know what all the bloody fuss was about my hand!

'Look," he said, "one of her punishments is kind of brutal. I thought that was what she was doing to you so I got you out of it. But you're fine so just go, okay?"

The look he was giving me paired with his tone of voice was the most honest and gentle I'd ever seen Draco Malfoy in my life. Had he really been….? Certainly not….

"Were you worried about me?" My eyes were questioning as I examined his every movement, trying to read his body language.

He straightened his back and lifted his head, doing that male authoritative thing that guys do when they're trying to be stern or distance themselves from something.

"Good night Mercedes," he said curtly. He turned on his heel and began to walk away but I managed to speak up before he got very far.

"Mercy," I said. "I prefer to be called Mercy."

He turned to me with a slight nod. "Good night Mercy."

"Good night Draco."


	10. Hogsmeade Date

**A/N:** Alright, this chapter took longer for me to finish but I slaved over it and hopefully it'll be worth the wait. It is a bit longer than my normal chapters so that should be a plus.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything I didn't make up.

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**Chapter 10: Hogsmeade Date**

_I know my rights, I've been here all day and it's time  
For me to go, so let me know if it's alright  
I just can't take this, I swear I told you the truth_

(Jenny Was A Friend of Mine by The Killers)

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Draco Malfoy cared about me. I let that thought sink in but it still didn't make any sense. My brain was telling me that it simply wasn't possible. My intuition was telling me that it very much was possible and that it was even the case.

I was forced to wrestle with this conundrum over another blind date, brought to me by the none other than the Weasley twins of course. No one else would have inflicted such torture on me as a means of being helpful. I really didn't want to go through with the whole ordeal but I had run out of reasons to say no. I had no detention and it was a Saturday which meant that I couldn't use homework as an excuse. Not that I had any. And if I didn't accept the date I was just going to end up listening to the two of them annoy me about it. It was a tossup but I chose the date; at least he wouldn't whine at me like they would. Hopefully, at least.

They'd set me up with a Hufflepuff boy that I recognized from Herbology but whose name I could not place. Owen Pratt, the twins informed me. The date was a trip to Hogsmeade; the Weasley brothers had picked out "just the perfect place" for us to sip tea and learn more about each other. I was quite fond of tea but frankly I didn't much care to learn anything about this Owen character. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm sure he was a wonderful person. If the twins had chosen he was probably nothing short of a right stand up guy.

But I wasn't interested in meeting new guys through the antics of the devilish fiends I called my friends. What I was interested in was figuring out this Draco situation. That's what I was calling it for lack of better terminology. I really had no idea what was going on between us so "situation" was really the only word I could tag to it.

However, my feelings were not added into the equation and the afternoon following my rescue I found myself on the arm of this Owen Pratt of Hufflepuff. And to make matters worse we ended up at the most _dreadful_ little café.

"Madam Puddifoot's," I said in disbelief as we stopped just outside the doors. It didn't look very big but it was definitely radiating with "cutsie" vibes. I hated cutsie.

"Are you sure this is the place?" I asked, turning my attention to the Hufflepuff boy by my side. Owen pulled out a piece of paper, looking from that to the café.

"Yeah, this is it. Fred and George said they had a table reserved for us.

I barely managed to stifle a groan.

Owen opened the door for me (a true gentleman, naturally) and we made our entrance, much to my dismay. And to make matters worse the table that the twins reserved had a sign on it that read 'Mercedes and Owen' with a little heart decoration. We grudgingly took our seats. Well, I did, Owen didn't seem to be all that bothered by the situation.

We ordered some tea and sat in silence across from each other. My mind wandered back to the Slytherin Prince. His blond hair, high cheek bones and lean frame…

"It's not so bad I suppose, kind of cute actually."

I jolted out of my increasingly more risqué thoughts at the sound of Owen's voice. I'd been sitting with my tea cup at my lips for who knows how long. I quickly took a sip and set the cup back down.

"What is?" I asked stupidly.

"The café," he said cheerfully with a smile. I stared at him for a moment, hoping to gods that he was joking. He wasn't. This time I really had to fight back a groan. He had just lost some serious points in my eyes.

He looked as if he expected me to agree with him.

"Erm… yeah," I said, struggling to put a smile on my face. I had a feeling it looked more like I was grimacing with my teeth bared at him so I quickly took another swig of tea. The beverage was really too sweet. It was just another reason to dislike the place even more, as if the hearts and bows everywhere had not been enough.

"Ah, excuse me," I said, abruptly standing up. "I have to use the ladies room."

I hurried away from the table and into the girl's restroom before he had a chance to say anything. I looked at myself in the mirror hanging over the porcelain sink. My green eyes were rimmed in black eyeliner and my hair flowed freely down my back, framing my face. I sighed and let the water run for a minute, running wet fingers through my hair. I really didn't want to go back out there and continue to drink over-sweetened tea with a guy who found the whole place "cute."

What I wanted to do was hunt down Draco. I don't really know what I'd do or say once I found him but that was irrelevant at the moment. But I knew I wouldn't have the heart to ditch Owen. He was innocent in all of this. So I'd just have to grit my teeth and bare the rest of the afternoon, resolving to remind myself that once we got back to the castle to thoroughly maim Fred and George.

The least I had to do, however, was get us out of the revolting little tea shop. I could put up with Owen for the rest of the day, but doing so inside of Madam Puddifoot's was more than I could take.

I composed myself and went back out to the table. Owen seemed to have finished his tea and was waiting patiently for me. I sat down, stared at my still half-full cup and then looked up at my date.

"Do you want to get out of here?" I asked, pushing the cup away from me.

"Ah, sure, where do you want to go?"

I shrugged. "Oh I don't know, why don't we just walk around."

He nodded, pulled out a few sickles which he left on the table for the tea, and we took our leave. I inhaled deeply as we stepped into the fresh air. I was glad to be out of that place.

We went into Honeydukes where I picked up some chocolate frogs to send to my parents but after that we just wandered around Hogsmeade aimlessly. Owen wasn't much of a conversationalist, not that I was really in the mood to make small talk. I was pretty sure that by this time we had both come to the conclusion that this date was a disaster and that we were in no way a good match.

Before I knew it we were standing at the edge of Hogsmeade, the Shrieking Shack just up ahead of us.

"That place is so creepy looking," Owen said, indicating the run down building.

"Let's go in," I said suddenly. The look the Hufflepuff boy gave me said that he clearly thought I had gone mad.

I bit my lip. "I mean, I'm sure it's nicer inside."

He looked doubtful. I sighed.

"Look," I said, my arms folded across my chest. "I know this whole date thing hasn't gone over so well but I'd really like to be able to enjoy some semblance of this trip, so let's go inside."

The look he gave me indicated that there was a very slim chance we were going to be keeping in touch once we got back to the castle. Honestly, I didn't much care. I rolled my eyes, grabbed him by the hand and pulled him toward the Shrieking Shack.

"Come on," I said. "I really want to go in and I don't want to go by myself."

I don't really know why I had this spontaneous and compelling urge to go in the old building, I just knew I didn't want to completely waste my Hogsmeade trip and I'd never been in the Shrieking Shack before. Not that we were suppose to go in it, but tons of people had.

The place was boarded up and there was no way to get in through the door.

"How are we supposed to get in?" Owen asked, looking thoroughly uncomfortable with the whole idea.

I thought a moment before circling around to the back of the dilapidated structure. There was an open window back there that looked as if the boards had been ripped off. A rock had even been placed under it. Owen came around the corner of the shack as I was hoisting myself up.

"Geez," he said, "do we seriously have to do this?"

"Yes," I replied as I got my footing on the windowsill. I hopped down into a very dusty dark room that looked like it was supposed to be a kitchen. I popped my head back out the window.

"Come on!"

I finally got him to follow me in but he was definitely not happy.

"This place is a dump."

I shrugged and pulled out my wand. "Lumos!"

The room lit up and we were able to find the door to get out of the kitchen. It was then that we heard the creak of the floorboards above us. We froze in our footsteps.

"Is there someone there?" Owen asked, staring at the ceiling.

"How the bloody hell should I know?" I whispered. He scowled at me, the first unfriendly look he'd given me all day. And it was about time, too.

I walked towards the door, my wand illuminating the way. I saw a set of stairs in the next room and I made my way towards them.

"Where are you going?" Owen hissed from where he was standing in the kitchen doorway.

"I'm going to investigate," I said, waiting for him to follow. We heard another creak from above us and I saw Owen's eyes widen.

Sure I was slightly frightened as to what we might find, but that didn't stop me from wanting to go see. The line between brave and stupid was thin for me –I was put into Gryffindor for a reason after all.

We tip-toed up the stairs as quietly as was possible. The creaking hadn't stopped; it sounded as if someone or something was walking back and forth. I felt Owen hesitate but I pulled him along.

The top of the stairs led into a hallway with a few doors. There was light coming from one of them, the door slightly cracked. Naturally, I made my way towards it.

I imagined a small voice in my head, the kind that characters in books always have, telling me 'don't go towards the light' in a comical tone and laughed inwardly. I was never one to listen to the smart little voice in my head.

Owen grabbed my hand as if he was going to pull me back but I shook him off. I peeked through the crack, scanning the dimly lit room. At first I didn't see anything but then a dark figure paced into my view. After a moment I realized it was the shape of a person, a student by the general size.

They turned so that there face was visible and my eyes widened. It was none other than Draco Malfoy. I felt my heart beat speed up against my will. He looked particularly striking in the dim light and I felt the growingly familiar urge to kiss him. I was jolted t my senses as Owen came up behind me, glancing through the door opening.

"Malfoy?" he said out loud, pushing open the door on the pacing Slytherin boy.

Draco spun around at the sound of his name, his eyes narrowing on Owen in contempt and then growing in surprise as his gaze settled on me.

"Mercy," he said, shock clearly in his voice. "What are you doing here?"

I shrugged. "Exploring, what are you doing here?"

"I don't have to tell you that," he snapped, glaring more at Owen than at me. I quirked a brow at him.

He ran his fingers through his white blond hair, still glaring. "You're with this guy then?" he asked, venom in his voice.

"And what's that suppose to mean?" Owen growled.

"It means she can do bloody better than a prat like you," Draco retorted hotly.

There was so much tension in the air that I could practically feel it. I cut Owen off before he could give a nasty reply.

"What do you care who I date Malfoy?"

"I don't," he said, resuming his pacing. "I just thought you had more brains that's all."

I had to admit, I was rather impressed with Owen's restraint. I saw his hand twitch as if he was just itching to punch Draco square in the jaw, but he didn't. If I had been in his situation I probably would have by now.

"Well nobody asked what you thought," I replied. Of course that wasn't true, I realized. As I said the words I knew they were a lie. I cared very what Draco Malfoy thought.

Draco scowled before pushing past us and storming from the room.

"Bloody prat," Owen spat as we heard him rushing from the Shrieking Shack.

I sighed, a sound of confusion and annoyance. "Come on, let's get out of here."

I turned and left, not really caring if he followed.

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**A/N:** Hope you enjoyed it. Please leave a review and tell me your thoughts.


	11. Bathroom Tension

**A/N:** Sorry this took longer than I wanted it to, but hopefully it's worth the wait. I think it is ^.^

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything that I didn't make up.

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**Chapter 11 – Bathroom Tension**

_I'm obsessed and stressed with this mess  
I can't think of things  
To write down, To type down  
And these fingertips are moving faster than these lips  
So you can only imagine how jealous my mouth is  
So you can only imagine how jealous my mouth is_

(Risque by Cute Is What We Aim For)

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Draco was not going to walk away from me this time. I was sick of being confused and frustrated; and the fact that I wanted to jump his bones every time I saw him wasn't helping either.

Needless to say, me and Owen hadn't really hit it off. We didn't speak to each other all the way back to the castle and we parted ways with barely a mumbled good-bye.

My plan was to approach Draco in the Great Hall and be damned who saw us. That plan, however, was quickly foiled when a sweep of the Slytherin table revealed that he was not in attendance.

"Damn," I swore under my breath, leaving the Great Hall. I wasn't hungry and I didn't much feel like facing my friends. I was much too annoyed and flustered. Instead I started to make my way to the Gryffindor Tower. I didn't know what I was going to do when I got there but I had a feeling it was going to include thinking about Draco in some way. I cursed to myself. This was getting beyond ridiculous.

"So this is what they mean when they say teenagers have raging hormones," I muttered. I thought I heard one of the portraits laugh at that but I chose to ignore them and keep walking, I didn't need to deal with a nosy painting as well.

The sound of worried footsteps from the corridor up ahead reached my ears. I knew it wasn't after hours but I still couldn't help but bite my lip and sneak to the corner to peak at who it was. The last thing I needed was another encounter with Umbridge.

I instantly recognized the corridor as the one with the prefect bathrooms. I quickly caught a flash of white blonde hair going into one of them. There was only one blonde prefect and I knew exactly who that was. I tried to keep myself from stomping as I made my way after him. He was not getting away from me this time. Did I have a plan? No. Did I know what I was going to say? Definitely not.

I flung the door open, intending to storm through and at least make a powerful entrance. That backfired as the door quickly came back at me. I reflexively held out my hand to stop it from hitting me square in the face. The impact made a loud noise and my hand started to sting.

"Fucking hell!" I cried, nursing hand, the door now being propped open by my foot. I felt like I could just curl up and die with the amount of times now that I had thoroughly embarrassed myself in front of Draco Malfoy. I debated attempting to slip away but I had gone too far. Plus, he had already come to see what all the commotion was about.

He held the open the door, peering out at me with an amused and curious expression.

"I suppose it's too late for me to make a sneaky getaway," I said lamely, feeling extremely awkward.

"Did you want something?" he asked, an entertained smirk still playing across his lips.

I regained my composure, straightening my back and walking through the door, pushing him farther back into the room.

"Yes actually," I said, trying to keep eye contact. It was extremely difficult considering how gorgeous his eyes were. They were a unique, silvery shade of grey that seemed to penetrate through all my defenses. It felt like they were pulling me in, be-spelling me. I fought the sensation with only minimal success.

"Well, what is it?" he asked after a moment or so of the two of us just standing there. He was looking at me with his usual haughtiness mixed with mild interest.

"I want answers," I said firmly.

"You haven't asked any questions."

I narrowed my eyes in annoyance. "You know what I mean."

"I'm afraid I don', so please, elaborate," he replied, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning carelessly against the sinks.

"You know, helping me with the homework, getting me out of detention." I paused before adding, "Getting mad I was with Owen."

"Owen is a prat," he said with a tinge of hostility in his voice.

"What do you care in the first place?"

"I don't-"

"Don't even say that you don't care because we both know that that's a lie," I interrupted, biting my lower lip. I had no idea where I was going with this.

He gaped at me for a moment before quickly snapping his mouth shut. He was staring me down with those silver eyes and I couldn't seem to look away. Neither of us said anything, we just stood there, watching each other.

"M-Malfoy?" I said after a minute or so, my voice wavering with uncertainty. He seemed to have slipped into his own world. His eyes were still fixed on me but it was as if he was seeing something else.

His attention refocused when I said his name and he was now giving me and incredibly intense look. He moved towards me and I instinctively moved away, shuffling myself back and to the side a little so as not to be pressed against the swinging door.

He kept coming towards me, his gaze looking positively feral. I'd imagined what it might be like to have Draco Malfoy advance on me like this and kiss me senseless. But it didn't look so much like he was going to kiss me but rather devour me whole.

We played cat and mouse, lion and gazelle as we slowly circled each other. He was the fierce predator, I was the feeble prey. This is not what I had daydreamed about at all. And now, as I felt my hips connect with the sinks, I remembered who Draco Malfoy was. He was a part of a powerful family and was completely capable of doing a lot of things without reaping any consequences from them. Social torture was only one of the smaller tricks he could easily pull. How had I become so infatuated with someone like that?

Before I knew it he was mere inches away from me and I could feel his body heat mingle oh-so-intimately with mine. The tension between us was palpable. My heart sped up involuntarily as I became completely engulfed in the look he was giving me. His eyes had gone from their usual cold grey to a heated mercury fire. Just through his gaze I could feel him reminding me that he could destroy me and my family with only a few choice words to the right people.

And yet I couldn't move. I should have pushed him away, ran from the room and avoided him for the rest of our stay at Hogwarts. I should have stayed fa,r far away from Draco Malfoy. But my body was immobile and I couldn't even gather up enough will power to say something, to tell him to stop or back away.

And as my mind was mulling this over, trying to make sense of the situation, I felt the distance between us close as he pressed his body against mine. I let out a small gasp against my will, my eyes widening in surprise as his lips crashed down against mine.

I _knew_ I should push him away; that I should tell him off. But the force of his mouth on mine and the warm comfort of his body felt too good to tell him to stop. I didn't want him to stop. I was drowning in his very essence and nothing had ever felt better.

His hand came to my hips, pulling him roughly to him so that we were even closer yet. He held me against him so that I couldn't have gotten away if I wanted to. I let my arms slither up around his neck, pulling his head own closer, further melding our lips together.

There was nothing gentle and loving about the kiss. I wasn't even sure if it qualified as a kiss so much as eating each other's mouths. But whatever it was it felt damn good and I never wanted it to stop.

I don't know how long we continued like that, it could have been hours for all I knew although I think minutes would have been a more accurate time measurement. I was simply lost in the sensation of his tongue sliding against mine, his teeth nipping at my lower lip. It was like having sex with our mouths.

Which was perfectly fine by me.

Eventually he broke away, an almost wild expression on his face that made me shiver and want to press myself back against him

He backed away from me, leaving me gripping the sink behind me, shakily trying to stand on my own again. I took a deep breath as my heart pounded loudly in my chest.

"I shouldn't have done that," he said suddenly, his eyes widening with a bit of a shocked look.

I tried to reply but I couldn't seem to form words. And what would I have said if I could? I didn't know what had possessed him to ravage my lips, but I certainly didn't want him to apologize for it.

"This never happened," he said, groping behind him for the door. I opened my mouth to protest but before I could get any words out, he was gone, the door swinging behind him.

I definitely wasn't going to pretend as if it had never happened, not that I thought I could if I wanted to. The impression of his lips on mine was seared into my brain. My dream of the last few weeks had just come true, leaving me shocked and still a little weak-kneed.

And now he didn't want to acknowledge that anything had happened between us. I was hurt and confused and kind of had a small desire to punch him.

And then I realized that Draco had left me standing alone in the _boys_ prefect bathroom.

"Aw, bloody hell."

**A/N:** O la la, things are heating up. Leave me a review and tell me your thoughts!


	12. Halloween

**A/N:** Thank you so much everyone for all the reviews. It really motivated me. This is probably the fastest update on this story ever.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything that I didn't make up

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**Chapter 12 – Halloween**

_Well I was the first to have spoken  
And I said just about all of the things you shouldn't say.  
So maybe you loved me, but now maybe you don't.  
And maybe you'll call me.  
Maybe you won't._

(The Last High by The Dandy Warhols)

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I managed to escape the bathroom unseen although it had been a rather close call with Peeves. That would have been another disaster that I just didn't need.

It was as if I no longer existed in his eyes. Draco had taken to acting as if I wasn't there. He didn't look so much as look at me. I had become nobody to him again, sinking back into the Gryffindor hoard which he so despised.

And I didn't know what to do. I hadn't expected for him to snub me like this. For some foolish reason I had thought there would be more. More talking, more time together, more kisses. For a fleeting moment I had given myself the dream of dating Draco Malfoy. And it was in that moment that I had given myself over, made myself vulnerable.

And now I was crushed and it was my fault.

Oh, I did place some of the blame on Malfoy. He was the prick who had messed with my emotions and was now ignoring me. But mostly I blamed myself for being stupid enough to think more of him.

I let my friends think I was having nightmares again. I couldn't very well tell them the truth. Not that I wasn't having some nightmares, only instead of reliving my sister's death, they involved Draco.

The memory of the car accident was a familiar hurt, with familiar nightmares that part of me had grown accustomed to. But this was a new hurt, a new ache that I'd never experienced before.

Time went by faster than I thought it would. Before I knew it, it was Halloween weekend. The castle was decked out in all sorts of ghoulish decorations. The ceiling on the Great Hall looked like a dark and stormy night all the time and all the white candles had been replaced by black ones.

The common rooms had been transformed as well. There were cobwebs in all the corners, some with real spiders (much to Ron Weasley's dismay) and jack-o-lanterns were set as center-pieces on all the tables. The holiday spirit did put me in a much better mood then I'd been in. Halloween had always been my favourite time of year. I actually found myself looking forward to the party McGonagall had given us permission to hold in the common room after dinner.

But the day leading up to it was another trip to Hogsmeade. If possible, I'd say the small wizarding village was even more decked out than the castle. I'd seen Draco walking down for the trip, but he'd been with Blaise Zabini and his two cronies, Crabbe and Goyle. He'd disappeared into the crowd of students as Fred and George met up with me.

Wesley had a date with a Ravenclaw girl and wasn't joining us, and Danielle was spending the day with Ginny so it was just me and the twins as we wandered the stores.

"You seem to be doing better," Fred commented as we pushed past a group of second-years to make our way into Honeydukes.

I scanned a shelf of sweets absentmindedly. "Yeah, I guess."

George grinned, draping his arm over my shoulders as I picked up a tin of cauldron cakes. "Well, we're happy to have you back."

"Yeah," Fred seconded. "You don't dress near as sexy when you're upset."

I rolled my eyes but laughed because I knew it was true. Lately, if I wasn't in school clothes, I'd been lazing around in sweatpants and muggle band t-shirts.

But I'd dressed nice today. A silky orange blouse clung to my torso paired with a short black skirt, fishnet tights and a pair of soft leather boots. I figured, hey, it was Halloween; I might as well dress for the occasion.

I was happy to be mostly back to myself. The ache of rejection was still there, but I was learning to deal with it. I'd been thinking about it a lot. It _was_ Draco Malfoy after all. Nobody in their right mind would date him. Unless of course they were in Slytherin, like Pansy Parkinson, but it was debatable whether or not they counted as people.

I didn't need Malfoy, he was stuck-up, arrogant, and a prick. He'd thrown my emotions and my hormones through loops and then had left me standing alone in the boys bathroom. I liked to think I deserved better than that.

"Let's go to the Three Broomsticks and get something to drink," I said, setting the cauldron cakes back. I ate enough sugar on a daily basis, I didn't really need to add to my intake.

The Three Broomsticks was even more crowded than usual, but we managed to squeeze into a table with Hermione, Ron and Harry, aka 'The Golden Trio' which was the Gryffindor's pet name for them.

I listened to Ron and Hermione bicker as the twins took cracks at their younger brother and Harry shaking his head through all of it. We sipped at butterbeer and discussed the upcoming party. It felt good to joke and laugh with friends again as I worked out pushing the Slytherin Prince from my mind, and emotions, completely.

We walked back towards the castle at around four thirty, not wanting to be late for Halloween dinner. Hogwarts food was always amazing, but Halloween dinner went above and beyond the usual.

As we approached the main door of the castle I caught site of Draco sitting on the steps as people shoved past him, trying to get inside. He wasn't with any of his lackeys, nor was he wearing his usual better-than-thou smirk. He was just sitting there, looking out across the grounds with an expression I couldn't discern.

I felt the familiar sense of curiosity peak inside of me and I quickly beat it down with my mental baseball bat. There was no reason for me to be interested with the affairs of Draco Malfoy, that much he'd made perfectly clear. He was a pure-blood, rich Slytherin from a powerful family. I was nothing but a half-muggle American Gryffindor from an average family. We weren't on the same level, something I was finally coming to understand fully.

So I didn't pay him any attention as we drew closer to the doors. Instead I engaged myself in conversation with Hermione as Harry, Ron and the twins hurried ahead of us. Something about not wanting to miss any of the Halloween dinner. Boys.

"Have you started the Transfiguration paper yet?" I asked casually as we started up the steps. Malfoy was a mere two feet away from me but I was determined not to pay him my attention.

"Yes but I've only got the first paragraph done. I'll probably finish the rest tonight."

"Do you think you could help me out with it?" I asked hopefully. I really was having some trouble with how to start it.

'Sure, I'll-" she started but was cut off by a familiar voice to our left.

"Mercedes."

I stopped, my mind reeling as I instantly recognized the fact that Draco Malfoy had said my name. It was the first time he'd acknowledged me in almost a month.

Hermione glanced over at him, a surprised look on her face. She gave me a question expression and I shrugged. I didn't know what he wanted either. I turned to face the blonde haired boy, wary of his intentions.

"Can I talk to you?" he asked, his grey eyes fixed on me.

"I… guess," I said, not really sure that it was a good idea. "Go ahead without me Hermione. I'll be there in a few minutes."

She nodded, pushing the door open. She gave me one last confused look before closing it behind her.

I stood on the steps, suddenly very aware of what I was wearing. I smoothed out the skirt and crossed my arms over my chest, not really sure what to do.

"What do you want Malfoy?" I asked, hoping to get this over with quickly.

"I… I want to apologize," he said, looking up at me. I saw sincerity in his eyes and I was taken aback. This Slytherin never ceased to surprise me.

"Oh?"

He looked down at his feet for a moment before letting his eyes slide up the length of my body, as if he was just seeing me completely. I fought the urge to shiver at his glance. He was a prick, but he was still gorgeous.

"You look nice," he said simply.

"Uh, thanks."

Neither of us said anything for a moment before I couldn't take it anymore. "Look," I said, "I have to get going."

"Wait," he replied, quickly coming to his feet. I was more aware of our proximity now that we were both standing.

"I meant what I said," he continued. "I'm sorry for everything. I was confused and I wasn't fair to you."

I bit my lip. "Erm, alright. Apology accepted then." I started to walk away.

'That's it?" He locked his eyes with mine and I had to fight to control my breathing. It should be illegal for someone to have eyes like that.

"We're two completely different people, Draco," I replied/ "So yeah, that's it."

If I tried to say something else I didn't catch it. I was halfway to the Great Hall before I could even take a breath.

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**A/N:** I hope you guys liked it. Chapter 13 in already underway. It'll be a bit short but the chapter following after that will definitely make up for it. Expect an iPod incident, singing in the shower, and lots more fun stuff. So please leave a review and I'll hopefully have the next chapter up soon.


	13. Going Home

**A/N:** Woot, another quick update! This chapter is short and nothing really happens. It's really just a set-up for things to come. Chapter 14 is already done. It may even be up to night as well O.O

But I think I'll wait till tomorrow at least. Chapter 15 will be where it gets really interesting

**Disclaimer: **I don't ow anything I didn't make up

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**Chapter 13 – Going Home**

_He says when you gonna make up your mind  
When you gonna love you as much as I do  
When you gonna make up your mind  
Cause things are gonna change so fast  
All the white horses are still in bed  
I tell you that Ill always want you near  
You say that things change my dear_

(Winter by Tori Amos)

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I threw my books and clothes into the large trunk at the end of my bed haphazardly. I had meant to finish packing the night before but had gotten caught up in flying around the Quidditch Pitch with Ginny and the twins. I wasn't the greatest flyer and I failed at Quidditch general, but it was still fun to mess around.

But now I was left doing last minute packing, like usual. I never stayed for Christmas break. My parents and I took a plan back to the States every year to celebrate with our family.

Dani was throwing things at me from across the room, still in her pajamas. It was her attempt at helping me out although every now and then she threw me things that weren't even mine. Why she though the battered book on advanced arithmancy was mine, I have no idea.

I felt a rolled up sock hit me in the back of the head.

"Oops, sorry Merce."

I rolled my eyes, adding the sock to my messy trunk.

"Shouldn't you get dressed before your parents show up?" Hermione asked, entering the room.

I looked down at myself. "Dammit, I knew I forgot to do something."

I rummaged through the trunk, pulling out a long-sleeved shirt that read 'Witch' across the front in red script. It had been my mom's idea of a joke, but I wore it regardless. I yanked on a pair of jeans, paired with boots and combed out my long hair with my fingers. I probably looked like a mess but I didn't much care. I had to be at the train station in Hogsmeade in half an hour where I would meet my parents. Then we'd take the train into London and catch our flight.

"The carriages are going to be leaving soon, you should hurry up," Dani said, lounging on her bed. She had chosen to stay at the castle this year.

I hurriedly levitated my trunk down the stairs. Naturally, me being me, I tripped on the way down which sent my trunk crashing down. I banged my head against the wall and watched as my trunk was saved just in time by Hermione's quick wand reflexes.

I smiled sheepishly up at the brunette girl, rubbing my aching head. "Thanks 'Mione."

I managed to make it to the train station with no further incidents and was immediately swept into my mother's embrace as she gave me a bone-crushing hug. My father came up behind her, smiling. My parents were overly loving towards me. I think it was their way of coping with my sister's loss.

Mom was a short woman, standing at only five feet tall. She was pale and had long hair the same shade as my own. Her eyes were a blue-grey and she looked very much like the English woman she was.

My father was at least eight inches taller than her and I got my olive complexion and green eyes from him. His hair was a very dark shade of brown and his shirt had little plaint splatters on it, like usual. He was a painter and usually did murals for people.

"It's so good to see you Mercy," my mother said, pulling away a bit. "Your father and I miss you."

"Hey kiddo," said my dad, giving me a bear hug.

It was nice to be with my family. I was excited to be going back to the States to see my relatives and friends. I'd spend the break living a muggle life and doing muggle things. It was always a nice change of pace.

"I missed you guys, too," I said, genuinely meaning it.

It was a long flight but I'd spent most of it catching mom up on what was going on at school. She thought it was ridiculous how the Daily Prophet and the Ministry had been acting, and she'd even engaged in a nice bashing session with me, the subject being Umbridge. We had to talk in quiet whispers, though, seeing as we were surrounded by muggles. Magical folk don't usually fly… well, not in planes at least. The only reason we were was for dad, he was a muggle after all. If mom had been the one to make all the suggestions we would have just used a portkey, but dad thought that would unsettle my grandparents who we were staying with.

They knew my mom and I were witches but we never went into detail about the wizarding world. It was kind of a don't ask, don't tell policy.

We were greeted rambunctiously by my aunt and three younger cousins. Before I knew it I had a four-year old attached to my waist and two six-year olds tugging on my shirt, all trying to talk at once.

They drove us to my grandparents house where we were received with more hugs and warm welcomes and all that other stuff that family does when they haven't seen you in awhile.

It was nice to be back, surrounded by familiar people who would love me no matter what. I enjoyed the magic of school and all the doors that being a witch opened for me, but sometimes it was just nice to play muggle for a little while.

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**A/N:** TADA! Told you it was short and nothing special. Review anyways. Chapter 14 will be up shortly. Did I mention it's in Draco's POV? ^.^

I adore you all :3


	14. Through The Dragon's Eyes

**A/N:** Another short chapter. Nothing really happens, it's just a though process really. But again, it's setting the scene so-to-speak for what's to come. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything that I didn't make up.

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**Chapter 14 – Through The Dragon's Eyes**

_Fumbling through your dresser drawer forgot what I was looking for  
Try to guide me in the right direction  
Making use of all this time  
Keeping everything inside  
Close my eyes and listen to you crying_

(Must Get Out by Maroon 5)

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I couldn't help but watch as she walked across the grounds, Granger helping her levitate her trunk over to the carriages that would carry her into Hogsmeade. I had apologized and that was it. I hated that I had said I was sorry, Malfoy's don't say they're sorry. But after a month I came to realize that an apology was necessary and that she deserved one for the way I had acted.

Why did I care about something so trivial pertaining to a Gryffindor girl? I have no idea. We were two very different people, she'd said so herself. I shouldn't be spending so much time thinking about her anyways. Slytherins didn't associate themselves with Gryffindors. It was an unwritten rule that I myself had enforced since I came to Hogwarts. I'd never broken it until this year.

Mercedes Chambers had not hit my radar until she'd smashed into my table in Potions at the beginning of the year. I'd mean to make snide comment about being a clumsy cow, or something equally cutting, but when I'd really turned to look at her I hadn't been able to find the words. Something about her has struck me speechless so I'd simply had to turn away from her.

The following months had been nothing but a winding road going up and down and lurching me from side to side. I'd helped her at first, given her homework help, and gotten her out of detention. I couldn't tell you why I had done any of these things, some sort of morbid curiosity with the girl I suppose.

I certainly hadn't meant to kiss her brains out in the bathroom either. She'd caught me off guard while I was trying to sort out my head. Before I knew it I was kissing the girl. It just seemed like the thing to do at the time. It went against all my better judgment, and my father would surely throw a fit if he ever found out.

Some things just shouldn't be done.

I'd felt bad for ignoring her afterward. It wasn't a feeling I was used to. Part of me had started to regard her as someone on my level, even though she clearly was not. Isn't. I'm not really sure what happened, I don't know what changed. I watched her walk away from me on Halloween and it stung.

I shouldn't have cared. I told myself over and over again that she was nothing. I was Draco Malfoy after all. I could do better than that. My family had standards, she met none of them.

Maybe that's why I was watching her now as she climbed into one of the carriages. She was pretty far away from the castle now, a mere dot with limbs, but I knew it was her I was looking at.

I let out an agitated sigh. Part of me had wanted to talk to her before she left. The other part of me was repeated "get over her" in a continuous mantra.

I knew I'd already made a decision on what to do. I can't say I was fully happy with it, but once the idea had popped into my head I couldn't let it go. It would probably be the stupidest thing I'd ever done in my life. Both my parents would throw a fit if they ever found out.

I scowled at the thought of them. My father was quickly becoming as annoying as my mother. I was expected to be just like him. My clothes had to be to his standards, I had to speak a certain way (with 'dignity that shows our class') and I had to agree with all his view points. Frankly, I was sick of it. The fact that my mother and father would hate my plan is what cemented me into doing it.

I turned from where I was standing in the Owlery and headed back to the Slytherin common room. I was going to have to pack.

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**A/N:** So, that's was a short chapter in our sexy-Slytherin's POV. Tell me what you think, leave a suggestions, whatever. Just review. The next chapter is already written and being typed up.


	15. An Unexpected Arrival

**A/N:** I would have had this up yesterday if it wasn't for ff's technical problems. But it's here now! Yay! -throws confetti- Thanks for everyone that's been dropping reviews, it really motivates me to write faster. Maybe I can get this finished off sooner rather than later. Anyways, hope you enjoy

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything that I didn't make up.

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**Chapter 15 – An Unexpected Arrival**

_The weight of things that remained unspoken  
Built up so much it crushed us everyday...  
Of all the things I felt but never really shown  
Perhaps the worst is that I ever let you go_

(Won't Go Home Without You by Maroon 5)

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I lounged on the couch, munching on a bowl of Frosted Flakes while watching an old re-run of Scooby-Doo. My parents had gone out shopping for the day, my grandfather was at work and my grandmother was somewhere in the house. The peace and quiet was heavenly; I got so very little of it at school. And it was nice to watch mindless cartoons again. Damn Hogwarts and their no electronic devices. I'd have loved a TV and a stereo system in the dormitory. A computer would be nice, too. I briefly imagined a bunch of wizards attempting to work a computer and laughed. I could easily imagine Fred and George having the times of their lives with it.

I took another bite of my cereal, completely content to be lazy all day. I was still in my pajamas (shorts and an oversized t-shirt) and my hair was thrown back into a messy ponytail. I completed the look with a pair of blue fuzzy slippers that were too big for my feet. Oh yes, I was the high-point of fashion this morning.

Just as the infamous line "if it wasn't for you meddling kids" came from the television speakers, also came a sharp knock on the door. I furrowed my brow, wondering who that could be. I knew it wasn't my cousins; they would have just let themselves in. Was gram expecting someone?

I set my cereal down and padded through the kitchen to the door, trying my hardest to keep my slippers on my feet. I opened the door, curious as to who could be on the other side and instantly felt my jaw drop. I stood there gaping like a complete buffoon at who was standing on the doorstep. My _grandmother's_ doorstep in little old Massachusetts, which was certainly nowhere near Britain where this person should have been.

"Draco?"

He gave me a look that was caught between uncertainty and his usual scowl. He was wearing all black; black pants matched with black button up jacket and hat. The all-over look screamed "rich stuck-up prick." I instantly realized that he would never be able to pass for a normal muggle teenager in the U.S. Not that he didn't look good, because he definitely did.

"What are you doing here/" I asked, snapping my jaw shut and straightening my back. Not that one could appear all the composed when in their jimmies. I sighed inwardly. I probably looked like a moron to him right now. Not that this wasn't a sensation I was rather accustomed to by now.

"I came to see you," he said in that sarcastic drawl that implied I was being dense for asking.

Now it was my turn to scowl. "Well why the bloody hell did you do that?"

"Come to think of it, I have no damn idea," he replied, venom in his voice.

"Well if you came here to be a prick, you can leave. I'm not going to let you ruin my vacation."

He opened his mouth to argue as I started to close the door on him. Why was he doing this to me? Was this his idea of some kind of perverse torture? I was trying to rid myself of him and so far I'd been successful. Why the hell did he have to come and show up at my family's house while I was trying to enjoy my holiday? He was lucky I didn't slam the door in his face.

"Mercy wait," he said suddenly, moving his hand to keep me from shutting the door on him all the way. I moved it back open, my eyes narrowed on him. Not only had he used my first name, he'd used my familiar nickname. I hated the way he said it; mainly because it made me melt inside.

"What?"

"I didn't intend to be mean, that's not why I came here. Actually, I'm not sure why I came here."

He was giving me that sincere look again which was making it increasingly hard to be mean to him.

"Well I don't know why you came here either, but I'd appreciate not being spoken to like a troll at my own family's home."

The word 'family' triggered a thought and I gave him a curious gaze. "How did you get here anyways?"

"I used a portkey," he replied with a shrug.

"No, I mean what about your family? Shouldn't you be at home with them?"

"I told them I was spending the holiday skiing in Romania," he said nonchalantly.

"Don't you have to be home for Christmas?"

"I don't usually spend my time at home on holidays. I haven't been there for Christmas in three years."

I chose to let it go. I didn't think any amount of explaining would make me understand Draco and his family. Not that I particularly wanted to understand a bunch of rich snobs.

"Would it be alright if I came in maybe?" he asked. "It's a bit cold out here."

"Oh, uh, sure I guess." I moved out of the way so that he could come inside. I shut the door behind him and tried to let the fact that Draco Malfoy was standing in my grandparents' kitchen, dripping snow off his boots onto the tiled floor.

"How did you know where to find me?" I asked, leaning against the counter.

He shrugged again. "My father's in the Ministry. I know a lot of stuff."

I frowned. I wasn't sure I was comfortable knowing that the likes of Lucius Malfoy knew where I spent my vacations.

I heard footsteps come down the hallway and a second later my grandmother entered the kitchen. Gram was about my height with short graying hair and hazel eyes sunk into her tanned skin. She was my father's mother.

"Mercy, who is your handsome young friend here?"

I saw Draco give a satisfied smirk at the comment and I couldn't help but roll my eyes. Vanity knew no bounds.

"Grandmom, this is Draco Malfoy. He's, um, a friend from school."

She gave me a curious look. "So he's like you and your mother?"

"Yes."

She nodded, turning to the blond Slytherin. "Well young man, do you live nearby?"

"Ah, no, my home is in Britain."

"That's quite far away. Are you in the States with your family?"

"No, I'm by myself," he replied, a proud note in his voice. It was apparent that he valued the independence that he had.

"All on your own? And your family doesn't mind? You British people are so strange," she said. I grinned as Draco stood there, speechless.

"Where are you staying?" my grandmother asked.

"In a hotel in town."

It had to be a wizarding hotel, Draco would never come off his pedestal and live among muggles, even for a short period of time.

My gram 'tsked' at has response. "A hotel? That will never do. You should stay with us." She smiled widely at him.

I almost choked on my own spit. "What?"

"Well, it only seems right," she continued. "It's rude to let friends stay in a hotel when there is plenty of space in the house."

Damn old fashioned hospitality. It was exactly something my grandmother would do, invite someone she just met to spend the holidays with us. Why did my family have to be so bloody nice?

I turned to see Draco's reaction. Surely he would never accept. He'd be expected to live like a muggle. He'd never agree to that. He though muggles were beneath him.

I saw a victorious smile ply across his lips and spread to his eyes. "I would love to stay here. Thank you so much for your hospitality."

My eyes widened. "You… you what? "

Like usual, I was the right master of words.

"Wonderful!" my gram exclaimed, clapping her hands together excitedly. "You just send for your stuff and Mercy and I will set up the guest room for you."

Both of them stood there, on opposite sides of the kitchen and grinning at this new development with me in the middle, a dumbfounded look on my face.

What the bloody hell had just happened?

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**A/N:** Hope you guys liked it ^.^ Next chapter is already written and will be up soon. Look forward to a shopping trips, an iPod incident, a real family Christmas mixed in with lots of humour, emotion and all that jazz.

Please leave a review 3


	16. Across The Hall

**A/N:** Thank you all for the reviews! It motivated me to have the next chapter up for you super-soon! Woooo! So enjoy ^.^

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything that I didn't make up

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**Chapter 16 – Across The Hall**

_When you came in the air went out.  
And every shadow filled up with doubt.  
I don't know who you think you are,  
But before the night is through,  
I wanna do bad things with y__ou._

(Bad Things by Jace Everett)

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Draco had left to go back to whatever hotel he was staying at while gram dragged me upstairs to help ready the guest room for him. Which happened to be directly across the hall from where I was staying. Just what I needed, Draco Malfoy living across from me. Sleeping across from me. Getting dressed across from me. Alright, now I seriously had to stop this train of thought before I started to imagine Draco Malfoy doing more than undressing.

This was not going to help me get over him at all. I sensed a regression setting in.

Gram and I fitted a sheet over the mattress, having pulled a bed set from the closet. The one that had been on the bed originally was a nice pink floral. I had suggested we leave that one on, but Gram insisted a switch to something more manly. I'd grudgingly agreed.

"Why does he have to stay here?" I asked, unfolding a blanket.

"I thought he was your friend. I assumed you would want your friend to stay here with us rather than at some stuffy hotel."

"I used the term 'friend' loosely."

"Well we very well can't take the invitation back. You should learn to say what you mean dear."

"I know, I'm sorry. We just have a very awkward relationship."

She gave me an all too knowing look that made me fidget uncomfortably against my will. "Ah, I see now. Then maybe inviting him to stay is for the better."

"I don't see how."

We finished straightening out the comforter, tossing pillows at the head of the bed.

"He's quite handsome," she said. "And I saw the way you two looked at each other."

My eyes widened. "We didn't, wait… Are you trying to set me up?"

She just smiled with a slight twinkle in her eye. "I think I heard a car pull up, it's probably him."

I stood there, not really sure what to do now that the room was finished. I knew Draco staying here was a bad idea, but part of me was screaming with joy at the thought of it. I needed to find a large stick and beat that part of me. Repeatedly. And violently.

"Well, I'm off to go finish my book," said gram, leaving the room for her own. A knock on the door echoed through the house and I sighed. She was going to make me answer it.

I opened the door to find Draco on the other side for the second time that day. And to think that an hour ago I'd been eating cereal and watching cartoons.

The Slytherin had a black suitcase in his hand but that appeared to be all. I guess I'd expected him to have a whole hoard of stuff, like all those rich snobby people you see in movies and such. The fact that he was traveling light was a plus for him.

Why did it have to be a plus? Why couldn't he just be despicable all over? It would make it so much easier for me to hate him.

"Come one," I said, motioning him back inside. "I'll show you to your room."

He followed me up the stairs. "It was nice of your grandmother to let me stay here."

I nodded. "Yeah, she's a nice woman."

There was a moment's pause before, "You don't want me to stay here, do you?"

I looked back at him. He was watching me, awaiting my answer with interest.

"Not particularly," I said, stopping in front of the guest room. "But that won't make you leave, will it?"

"No."

I opened the door of the room. "This is it."

He walked past me, setting his suitcase down inside. "It's nice."

I shrugged. "If you need anything, my room is right here." I pointed to my door. I turned to leave.

"Aren't you going to pester me about why I'm here?"

I glanced back over my shoulder at him. His gorgeous grey eyes were watching me and I couldn't help but admire them. _Stop it Mercy, stay focused!_ I chastised myself mentally.

"That depends; do _you_ know why you're here?"

He seemed to think a moment, his brow furrowing slightly. "That's a good question."

I shrugged. "Alright then, that's what I thought. No point in me asking if you don't have an answer."

He was giving me a very intense look now that made me a bit uncomfortable considering I was still in my pajamas.

"You're very… clever," he said after a moment.

That I could not believe. I was well-known for walking into things and putting my foot into my mouth on a daily basis. Clever was more Hermione's thing.

"Err, not particularly, but thanks I guess."

He gave me a slight nod. Our eyes fixed for a few seconds and I felt the familiar sensation of being caught in his web. His gaze slipped from me eyes and down my body, taking a good long look at me.

"What is on your feet?"

It took me a moment to comprehend the fact that he had spoken. "Excuse me?"

"Those things, on your feet, what are they?"

I glanced down at the fluffy slippers that I so loved. "They're slippers," I said blankly.

Did he seriously just ask me what slippers were? Hadn't he ever seen fuzzy slippers before?

"Oh. They're… cute."

He turned to start unpacking his things. I stood in the doorway, trying to figure out what had just happened before ultimately leaving the room.

I pushed the slippers comment from my mind as I realized that now I was going to have to put on nice clothes and wash my hair.

"Damn Slytherin."

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**A/N:** So that's chapter 16, hope you guys liked it. Drop me a review, makes me write faster. 17 is already in the making, promise.


	17. Macaroni and Cheese

**A/n:** This would have been up sooner, but I've been lazy. Sorry guys. So I won't delay you with my pointless ramble, read on!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything that I did not make up.

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**Chapter 17 – Macaroni and Cheese**

_And I wonder  
When I sing along with you  
If everything could ever feel this real forever  
If anything could ever be this good again_

(Everlong by The Foo Fighters)

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I'd gone through my clothes about five times before I finally picked something. I was fighting with the two sides of myself. Part of me was screaming that what Draco Malfoy thought didn't matter. I didn't need to dress for him. This was the more sensible part of me.

Unfortunately I was not a very sensible person.

The other part of me insisted on looking nice. He was gorgeous and mouth watering and I wanted to appeal to him. I knew I couldn't really compare to his looks, but I could try right?

This was the part of me that I felt the familiar urge to maim on an alarmingly more frequent schedule.

I finally settled somewhere in the middle with jeans and a fitted green sweater that brought out the colour in my eyes nicely. I grumbled with displeasure as I pulled it on, but did so nonetheless.

I went back downstairs, curling back up on the couch and flipping through the channels, trying to find another cartoon to watch. I certainly wasn't going to let the Slytherin completely ruin my lazy time. I wanted to watch stupid animation and dammit all I would!

I settled on Spongebob, a guilty pleasure of mine. I found the yellow creature endearing in a strange sort of way.

Draco stayed in the guest room until lunch. He didn't come ask where anything was and the one time I'd gone upstairs for something I'd heard no noise coming from behind his door. I wondered what he was doing in there, but refrained from thinking too deeply on the matter.

About one o'clock I called up the stairs for him. I was making lunch and grandmom would have my head if I didn't offer him anything.

"Hey Malfoy!"

A few seconds later he was standing at the top of the stairs. The black jacket had come off to reveal that he was wearing a black button up shirt underneath. Surprise, surprise.

"I'm making lunch, want anything?"

I saw a hint of a smile on those luscious (did I just have to use that word?) lips of his as he came down the stairs toward me, but it was gone before I could confirm it.

"What are you making?"

"Macaroni and cheese."

"What is that?"

I tried not to gape. I did too much of that already in regards to the Slytherin boy.

"You don't know what macaroni and cheese is?"

He shook his head, following me back into the kitchen where I already had a pot full of elbow noodles boiling.

"I'd say something like 'you'll love it' but I have no idea what kind of ritzy food you're used to. This is pretty much middle-class American cuisine from a box."

He gave a shrug. "My tastes aren't too extravagant. And I'd like to try this American dish of yours."

I wasn't really sure what to say to that. Draco living under the same roof as me was awkward enough, but now we were talking about macaroni? Oh yes, I knew how to have one classy conversation.

He sat t one of the bar stools by our kitchen island while I stirred the contents of the boiling pot. I wondered if I should tell him that the cheese was powdery and came from a bag. I decided not to, I really didn't need to draw out the discussion.

"So, uh, how long are you going to stay?" I asked, truly curious. There were two weeks of vacation; would he really stay all that time?

"Until we go back to school," he replied. "If that's alright by you of course."

I shrugged. "Stay as long as you want I guess." I wasn't sure I wanted him to stay the full two weeks but what else was I suppose to say? 'Get out of my house before I fall in love with you.'? That didn't strike me as the best idea.

On the other hand, how was I supposed to keep my distance when there was literally almost no distance between us? How did I protect my heart from the blond boy sitting in my kitchen? And why the hell was he in my kitchen in the first place? What did he want from me?

I had to push the questions from my head as I finished making the macaroni and cheese, plopping it into two bowls. I set one down in front of the Slytherin with a fork.

"Tada," I said with a rather unexcited tone.

I sat down across from him with my own helping. He was eyeing the food suspiciously, like he wasn't sure if it was safe.

"I didn't poison it or anything, promise."

He looked from the bowl to me. "Sorry, I've just never seen anything like this."

I couldn't help but laugh a little. "It tastes better than it looks."

Evidently he decided to trust me on that because he took a bite. He seemed to analyze the taste of the food as he chewed. I couldn't help but watch.

"It's good," he finally said and I smiled.

"You have a very pretty smile."

I froze. Had he really just said that? He'd complimented me? Why'd he go and do that? He was making things much more complicated than they needed to be already. Did I really have a pretty smile? Would he lie to me about something like that? What would he have to gain from lying about it?

"Sorry," he mumbled under his breath, evidently taking my silence as anger.

"Don't be," I said. "Thanks."

He took another bite of his lunch without saying anything.

This was ridiculously awkward, and there was still two weeks to go. I wasn't sure I could handle this kind of uncertain and strange interaction for that long. I needed to get away from him. But how? I mean, I'd left Hogwarts and he'd followed me to the States. Could I really get away from him?

It was time to call some old friends. I could use a nice relaxing day of muggle shopping.

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**A/N:** I kind of feeling like my writing is crappy this chapter and I tried to fix it but I just couldn't. So I apologize deeply. The next chapter is already done and being typed up. Prepare for Draco at the mall ^.^

Leave a review please and thank you


	18. A Failed Attempt

**A/N:** Thanks so much for the reviews everyone, they are the air I breathe. Now prepare yourself for the first part of Draco and Mercy's mall trip.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything that I did not make up.

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**Chapter 18 – A Failed Attempt at Sneaking Out**

_Box after box and you're still by my side.  
The weather is changing and breaking my stride.  
Oh well I know I know I know, it's just this day.  
House after house, just like car after car,  
You see club after club, and it all seems so far.  
I know I know I know, what else are we here for?_

(I Know I Know I Know by Tegan & Sarah)

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I managed to get a hold of my friend Holly and make plans to do some Christmas shopping the following day with a few other people. It was a great excuse to get out of the house; I did need to pick up some gifts for my parents.

I dressed for the occasion, as much as girls do when they go out to the mall. I usually take pride in not being like most girls but I was making an exception. I think I just wanted to illicit looks from a guy other than Draco Malfoy. Was that childish and illogical? Probably. Did I much care? Not at all.

So I wore the nice jeans and the low-cut shirt with the pretty embellishment around my cleavage. I even passed over my black converse for boots. It was about as classy as I got. My usual muggle attire was a t-shirt and jeans with some sort of rip in them.

I came down the stairs from my room, intent on simply writing a note explaining my whereabouts and taking off. I didn't want to run into Draco and end up stuck with him. And I certainly didn't want to take him with me. This was supposed to be a day away from him. I needed to clear my head and work things out before I could face him again.

But I was never that lucky. Me, lucky? Not in a million years. I was greeted by my grandmother's warm smile as she prepared herself a cup of tea. Okay, I was still safe. There was no sign of Draco, I could still get out of the house by myself.

"Where are you off to so fast?" she asked.

"I'm meeting Holly and some friends at the mall. I thought I'd get some Christmas shopping done."

"Is Draco going with you?"

"Err… no."

"Well, don't you think you should invite him?"

"I don't know where he is," I replied lamely. I mentally kicked myself. Could I have sounded any stupider? This was not going as planned at all and I really didn't think I was going to like the outcome.

"Well he's right in the other room dear. Draco! Draco dear, come out here."

The Slytherin's name next to the word "dear" sounded excessively strange.

Draco's head popped around the corner. Evidently he'd been in the other room. I looked over to see that he'd been talking to my parents, who had been way more accepting of his stay than I would I have liked them to be. And nothing good could come of him talking to them further. My parents were average, decent people. I could hardly say the same for the blond.

"Yes?"

"Mercy's going to the mall. You should go with her," gram suggested happily.

Would it be too immature to stomp up to my room and throw a fit, yelling how I didn't want to go anymore? I knew the answer to that question and silently wished to be five again, when I could still get away with it.

"I'd love to," he said, his eyes settling on me in that way he had. It made me want to fidget but I resisted the urge. I was trying not to let him know of the effect just has his gaze had on me.

I forced a smile. "Alright."

The odd look he gave me suggested that I may have just grit my teeth together more than I actually smiled. Whatever, I wasn't much for caring at this moment.

"I'll get my coat," he said, going for the stairs. I just kind of nodded, grabbing my own off of one of the hooks by the door.

"It should be fun for him to see how us non-magical folk shop," gram said casually.

"Yeah, I guess," I replied, shoving my arms into the dark purple jacket. I doubted that it would constitute as Draco's idea of fun at all, but I could hardly say that. He'd been a perfect gentleman so far and my family saw him as a very upstanding young man.

She smiled sweetly as Draco and I left the house, heading for the bus stop. I was still too young to drive, much to my constant dismay, so I usually relied on public transportation. Unless I was with my mom in which case we just apparated to wherever we were going. But I doubted that apparating into the middle of the food cart was a very good idea.

We didn't talk at all on the bus ride there. He sat next to me and the closeness was electrifying. I tried not to think about it.

It wasn't a long ride and I happily climbed out of the bus, enjoying the space between us. I had a difficult time thinking when he was too near. The time in the bathroom was a testament to that.

"What is this place?" he asked, looking at the large building with a puzzled expression on his face.

"The mall," I replied. "It's basically a huge building with a lot of stores inside."

"That's…" he started. I fully expected him to say something nasty about the stupidity of such an idea.

"Rather convenient," he finished. I glanced over at him. He looked like he meant it well enough.

"What?" he asked.

"You're not acting like yourself."

"What do you mean?"

"You're usually sarcastic and cutting and… I dunno, a prick. I mean, you do realize you're about to walk into a place full of muggles, right? No degrading remarks on that or anything?"

He shrugged. "I'm not always mean. Muggles don't bother me as much as I say, I guess. I find your family pleasant enough, if a bit strange."

My brow furrowed. My family wasn't strange…

"I'm trying not to be so nasty," he said.

"Why?"

"I… I just feel like it, alright?" There was a slight edge to his voice. I sighed, he sucked at giving answers.

"Come on," I said, walking toward the nearest entrance. "You get to meet some muggle friends of mine."

"Do they know you're…?"

"A witch?" I finished. "No. Which means you have to act like a muggle. Think you can handle that?"

He gave me an incredulous look that clearly said how much he did not want to do any such thing.

"Good," I said, going through the automatic door, giving him no choice but to follow me.

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**A/N:** Leave a review, tell me what you thought. The next chapter will have the iPod scene that I keep alluding to ^.^


	19. iPod

**A/N:** So I'm not sure this came out as good as I wanted it to, but it's a bit longer than most of the other chapters. Also, make sure to hop over to my profile for a picture of Mercy as well as her music list

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything that I did not make up

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**Chapter 19 - iPod**

_Help, I'm alive, my heart keeps beating like a hammer  
Hard to be soft, tough to be tender  
Come take my pulse, the pace is on a runaway train_

(Help, I'm Alive by Metric)

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As much as I would have loved to make Draco Malfoy trail behind me like a lost puppy, trying to keep up, I couldn't do it. One, I wasn't that mean. Two, it didn't seem like the best of ideas to lose a pure-blood wizard in a muggle mall. Especially when said wizard didn't even like muggles. So I waited for him to follow me through the door so that he could keep by my side.

I watched him from the corner of my eye as he inspected everything around him. I tried to put myself in his place and see the mall as he was seeing it. All the stores and the noise and the people must be overwhelming.

We passed a group of teenie bopper girls who gave him what is easily defined as "the look." He sneered at them and they scampered away, giggling madly. I grinned a little, not able to help myself.

"This place is odd," he said with the scowl I was more accustomed to seeing.

"It has to grow on you," I explained, straining my neck as we approached the food court, trying to spot my friends.

"Why is everyone staring at me?" he asked, glaring at a group of teenagers.

I was tempted to reply with "because you're delicious looking and every girl, including me, wants to jump your bones" but I decided against it.

"It's your clothes," I said, forcing all thoughts of pushing him into a dressing room and letting him have his wicked way with me out of my head.

The clothes thing was half-true. He did stick out like a sore thumb in his classy black garb. He was getting quite a few curious glances as well as downright stares. Some people even pointed. It just wasn't something you saw in this kind of mall.

"What's wrong with my clothing?" he demanded.

I raised a brow. "Look around you Draco, do you see anyone else dressed all ritzy like? You look like you're about to attend a ball or something."

He shrugged. "I wish they wouldn't stare so much."

"Why don't you get some new clothes then? We are at a mall."

He looked at me like I had two heads.

"It was just a suggestion," I mumbled, looking away.

"You can't expect me to dress like that," he said, pointing to someone standing outside a shoe store. It was a city kid in and overly baggy shirt and pants hanging around his knees. Of all people, he had to pick that one.

I wrinkled my nose in disgust. "Good gods, no. Then I'd have to smack you."

He opened his mouth to say something but I cut him off.

"I meant more along the line of fitted jeans and a t-shirt. Then people wouldn't stare as much."

He seemed to think about it for a moment. "I don't have any muggle money."

"I can spot you," I offered. I had plenty of cash on me.

"I couldn't let you-"

"Oh don't worry, you can pay me back in galleons. I could use some spending money for the next Hogsmeade trip."

I thought I saw a hint of a smile on his lips and I turned away to hide my own grin. He was being much too likeable; it was making my defenses slip. What had happened to the Draco Malfoy I'd known for so long? Where has the snide remarks and constant scowls go? He'd barely uttered a single insult since he'd arrived. It had to be some kind of record.

"We'll stop by some stores," I said as I spotted Holly by the Dairy Queen. "Now come on, I see my friends."

I greeted the tall blond girl with a warm hug, happy to be in the familiar presence of someone other than Draco Malfoy.

"Ah Merce, I'm so happy to see you," Holly said, the smile on her face reaching up to her hazel-blue eyes.

"I've missed you," I admitted. "I've missed everyone."

I looked around to find two of my other close muggle friends, Erin and Terrance. I got everyone acquainted with each other, while explicitly aware that my friends were giving me very curious looks in regards to the drop-dead gorgeous Slytherin I'd brought with me. I wasn't really sure how to answer the looks, so I didn't.

Erin was short, only up to my shoulders and had short black hair in an adorable pixie cut. She was excessively hyper; the type of person that you never noticed was short because they never stopped bouncing around.

Terrance was tall and lanky and usually couldn't be found without his sketch pad. He was wearing a pair of black rimmed glasses and one of his many band shirts.

Draco seemed at a loss on how to act towards any of them. I got a small sense of satisfaction from this. He knew nothing about muggles and it was refreshing to see him so out of his element. I was almost happy he'd come with me, if only for this moment.

"I say we go to the Apple store first," Holly was saying. "I need a new iPod and my mom said she wasn't buying me another one."

I realized that I'd spaced out for a moment and now my friends were merrily making plans on where to go first, Draco in the thick of it. He looked so helpless, something I thought I'd never see. Part of me wanted to watch him suffer. (Notice that there tends to be 'parts of me' when it comes to Draco; he was splitting me into he was.) The other part of me was more chivalrous and wanted to give into my Gryffindor instinct and save him.

Why was I the chivalrous one? I was the girl, wasn't that suppose to be his job? Not that this was any kind of usual love story. Love? What the hell was wrong with me? This wasn't some kind of romantic comedy, more like a torturous nightmare.

"Well, let's go then," I said, grabbing Draco's hand and following after Erin, who'd already started skipping to the aforementioned store. I felt a tingling sensation shoot up my arm from the contact. I shivered slightly, immediately hoping he hadn't noticed but too afraid to turn around and check. If he felt anything, he didn't say. Fine by me.

I let go of his hand so he could walk beside me. It was stupidity on my part for having grabbed it in the first placed. I was sandwiched between him and Holly as the two others walked ahead. Draco was back to curiously looking around at everything we passed. I tried to catch his eye a few times (against my better judgment) but he wasn't sparing me even the slightest glance.

"So Draco," Holly said, pulling his attention to her. "Is this your first time in the States?"

He nodded. "Yes, I suppose it is."

She grinned. "I wish I was from Britain. I adore your accent. Mercy has an accent sometimes when she comes back, but it's not as cute as yours."

"Err… thank you," he said tentatively. He looked at me like he was trying to tell me something with his eyes but I couldn't decipher what.

We entered the Apple store where Erin was already pestering the sales clerk. Holly poked around the displays as I examined a rack of head phones. I could always use another pair.

"What are these?" Draco asked, nodding at a case of iPod Nanos.

"They're iPods, you can put music on them to listen to."

He gave me a blank stare and I shook my head. "You really should think about taking a muggle studies class Malfoy."

"I'm a Malfoy, I don't take –wait, you called me by my last name." He looked almost hurt at that. But that couldn't be right, could it?

"I didn't realize you disliked it. Lots of people call you Malfoy."

"You don't. And I don't call you Chambers." His grey eyes were fixed on me and I felt the familiar pull of them, beckoning to lose myself in their depths. I shook off the feeling as best I could.

"True," I said, slightly breathy. I meant to say something else, but Holly's voice from across the small store interrupted me.

"Hey Merce, do you have your iPod on you?"

I nodded. "Yeah, why?" And I did have it with me; it never left my pocket when I wasn't at Hogwarts.

"Can I see it?" she asked. "I think I want one like yours."

I pulled out the green device (because who wants white when you can have green? Bloody no one, that's who) and handed it to her as she approached. The sales clerk looked it over before directing her to a case of similar ones.

She handed mine back to me and I switched it o out of boredom. I hadn't used it in awhile and I missed my music. I was flipping through songs when Draco leaned over e to get a closer look at it.

"How does it work?" he asked as I scrolled through my Blur collection. I stopped at my favourite song and handed him an ear bud which I then had to instruct him on how to use.

Sometimes I seriously wondered about wizards…

I pressed the play button and let "Parklife" flow through the little speakers as I bopped my head to the beat happily while watching for the Slytherin's reaction.

He wrinkled his nose, clearly confused. He looked at me as of seeking some kind of reassurance, like it was going to bite him or something. I just grinned.

_I get up when I want, except on Wednesdays when I'm rudely awakened by the dustmen_

_(Parklife!)_

_I put on my trousers, have a cup of tea and think about leaving me house_

_(Parklife!)_

"What the hell is this bloody rubbish?" he exclaimed, looking utterly perplexed and slightly horrified. I laughed as the song switched over to a new one. It was on shuffle so even I was surprised when "I Believe In A Thing Called Love" came on.

He seemed to try to analyze the new music but made a face when the chorus came on. You know, the part where the lead singer gets all high-pitched and such.

I was really laughing now, clutching my stomach at the array of faces he was making. This was priceless. I should have introduced a pureblood to muggle devices earlier. I made a mental note to bring my iPod to the Burrow for the twins next time I went.

Draco plucked the headphone from his ear and handed it back to me.

"Why are you laughing? Stop laughing at me! I'm a Malfoy and you will not-"

"Oh shut it Draco, you're bloody hysterical and I'm going to laugh mercilessly at you if I want."

He looked utterly disgruntled, a mix of anger and something else marring his handsome British features. Not making him unattractive though, it was kind of cute.

I shoved the iPod back in my pocket. I'd changed my mind, bringing him with me was a great idea.

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**A/N:** So tell me what you guys thought. I love reviews, as you all should realize by now. The next chapter is already in the works and I have the story well planned out for the awhile. Lots of neat stuff will be happening ^.^

Oh! If you don't know of the band Blur, you should look them up, _Parklife_, in particular. This chapter is probably a bit funnier if you've heard the song xD


	20. Attacking Clothing Racks

**A/N:** Yay for a fast update!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything that I did not make up.

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**Chapter 20 – Attacking Clothing Racks**

_Dear self centered boy I don't know why I still feel affected by you  
I've never lasted very long with someone like you  
I never did although I have to admit I wanted to  
Dear magnetic boy you've never been with anyone who doesn't take your shit  
You've never been with anyone who's dared to call you on it  
I wonder how you'd be if someone were to call you on it_

(Narcissus by Alanis Morisette)

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After that little incident I brought Draco to JC Penny for those new clothes that we'd talked about. Holly had dragged the other two off, evidently conspiring to buy me a Christmas present. So now I was alone at the mall with Draco Malfoy. I rolled my eyes as he sneered at everything I brought him to try on, muttering under his breath about the horrible fashion sense of muggles.

"You're the one that followed me home Malfoy," I said to him through the dressing room door, purposely using his last name. "I didn't make you. I told you that you'd have to play muggle, at least when we're not at the house."

"That does not mean I have to like it," he replied hotly. I could easily imagine the scowl he most likely had on his face as he said it and I felt the urge to go in there and slap it off of him. He'd slowly been slipping into his usual nasty personality. I knew the effort to be nice and civil would only last for so long and I was actually surprised he'd gotten this far without excessive whining and complaining.

"Well you can leave anytime you want," I snapped back.

"Maybe I will," he retorted with a growl. I threw up my hands with a huff of frustration and stalked off, thoroughly annoyed. I mean really! The nerve of him!

I searched through a rack of jackets, pushing garments aside a bit more violently than necessary which successfully scared away a few soccer moms. I couldn't bring myself to care. Why did he have to go and do that? On minute he'd act all cute, almost like he was an actual human being and I'd find myself starting to _like_ him. Then he'd change face and turn into an insufferable git, complaining about everything. How had I landed myself in this bloody position anyways?

"Stupid pureblood," I mumbled vehemently under my breath. "Thinks he's so great just because of his heritage. I ought to leave him here to fend for himself."

I shot a rather dirty look t a woman who'd approached the opposite side of the rack that I was still attacking. She gave a 'humph' before turning away, dragging her tortured-looking son behind her.

I sighed, picking up a navy blue blazer. I might as well go check on the Slytherin brat, make sure he hadn't cursed out any poor, unsuspecting muggles about the 'classless look' of jeans.

"Here," I said anger still tinting my voice. I through the piece of clothing over the top of the dressing room stall.

"Thanks," he said, sounding much more subdued than before and I bit my lip curiously. Was something wrong? _No Mercy! Don't ask, you don't care!_

"Everything alright?"

I could have slapped myself. Not that going and beating myself up in the middle of the store was something I really needed to be doing, especially since I'd already been walking around muttering to myself and assaulting clothing racks.

"I'm fine," he said. There was no emotion in his voice and I frowned. What was _with_ him?

I heard a click as the stall door opened, the Slytherin standing on the other side looking unsure and still slightly angry. He was wearing a pair of fitted jeans, a plain black t-shirt and the blazer I'd thrown at him. I tried to form words but I couldn't figure out what to say. He looked _good_. He looked better than good, more like gorgeous, handsome, delectable…

My vocabulary was getting a bit out of hand.

"So?" he asked, straightening out the shirt a bit.

"You, uh, look great," I replied, my voice wavering more than I would have liked.

Wasn't I supposed to be mad at him right now? I recalled those being my general feeling a minute ago. That seemed far away from now with him standing in front of my looking like that. The clothes were clinging to him in a way that his usual black suit didn't. I could make out the muscles in his chest and legs and it took a lot of will power to pull my eyes away.

"Really? I find these pants quite strange, I'm not sure I like them. Why do muggles wear them? You all have horrible taste when it comes to clothing."

I suddenly remembered why I'd been so angry. "Keep your voice down," I reprimanded. "You're a muggle as far as this entire mall is concerned, so quit acting like… like…"

"Like a wizard?"

"Shhh!" I was fuming at this point. He was just so _ridiculous_!

"I'm sorry," he said, his voice a bit lower now. I heard sincerity in his words. That was the second time Draco Malfoy had apologized to me. Was the apocalypse nearing or something?

And now that he'd gone and said sorry I very well couldn't be mad anymore, could I? No, I couldn't, I was too good of a person, a fact which I was currently cursing. I wanted to stay angry with him, keep my distance and harbor hatred until we returned to Hogwarts. I wanted to push him away.

Instead I found myself accepting his apology like the good Gryffindor I was.

"It's alright," I said with a sigh, running my fingers through my long hair. "C'mon, grab whatever you're getting and I'll pay for it."

"You really don't have to-"

"I told you, it's not a big deal. Just pay me back in galleons."

He hesitated before nodding. I was glad not to argue the point. All I really wanted to do was go home, lock myself in my room and scream into my pillows until I was hoarse. I was not keen on any delays getting to this.

My friends were waiting for us by the registers, bags in hand filled with gifts. Holly immediately swept Draco up into a debate her and Erin were having about some band or other. The Slytherin stood between the two, looking confused while I waited in line to be checked out.

_Good_, I thought smugly to myself. _Let him suffer._

I glanced around the store out of boredom, waiting for the cashier to finishing ringing up the couple in front of me who had an epic amount of toys, when I spotted it. _Them._ I hadn't even considered buying the Slytherin Prince a Christmas present, but this was just too perfect. I looked to make sure said Slytherin wasn't looking before quickly snatching them up, quickly hiding them in the small pile of clothes.

Getting him a gift was probably not the greatest of ideas if my goal was to keep him at a distance. But I found myself caring less and less as I was already well along my own personal path to Hell. And the devil had a pair of smoldering grey eyes.

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**A/N: **Yay? Nay? REVIEW please and tell me your thoughts. I love reading your reviews, seriously. I have a few faithful readers that never fail to drop me a comment and I love you guys for it. Seriously.

What's coming up next? Singing in the shower? Oh you bet ;)


	21. An Afternoon Alone

**A/N:** Okay, so here's Ch21, hope the wait wasn't too unbearable. I'd like to say thank you to my lovely reviewers for encouraging me to continue with this story. You may notice that there's lyrics at the beginning of this chapter, and if you go through all previous chapters you'll find them there also. I thought this was a nice little addition to the storyline, so enjoy!

Now, the first half of this chapter I owe all to my reviewer **Marina** and my bestie **Countess Sia**. The situation credit goes to the former and most of the dialogue to the latter.

I'm also going to use this author's not to do some advertising. I wrote a nice little smut fic involving George and Oliver that you guys should check out if you like slash and such called **Bottom of the Bottle**. Also, if you're not reading Countess Sia's fic, **Behind The Crimson Door**, well you probably fucking should be xD

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything that I did not make-up.

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**Chapter 21 – An Afternoon Alone**

_I wouldn't know what to do with another chance  
If you gave it to me  
I couldn't take the embrace of a real romance  
It's race right through me  
I'm much better off the way things are  
Much much better if, better by far, by far_

(The Way Things Are by Fiona Apple)

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I managed to grab some gifts for my family before we left the mall. I wasn't sure if the whole ordeal was a success or an emotional disaster so I tried not to think too intensely on it. I still had about two weeks to go before the return to school; it was too early for me to blow up yet.

I got through the next few days well enough. Draco kept mostly to himself and my cousins frequent visits kept me nicely preoccupied. The Slytherin continued to be nothing but courteous to my family. My parents were often raving about his good manners which usually had me huffing in annoyance as he soaked up the compliments. I could use a lot of words to describe Draco Malfoy, but "well-mannered" was not one of them.

I sat snuggled up on the couch, an old episode of the Powerpuff Girls on the TV and a stack of Oreos on the table beside me. It was early afternoon, none of my family seemed to be around and I'd decided to be lazy. I had wondered briefly why my own parents had left me alone in the house with Draco, but they probably thought him such a damn gentleman that he'd never try anything. I knew he wasn't much of a gentleman, even if his family was upper class, but I wasn't about to let him try something anyways. I'd been down that road before and even though there was a sexy devil at the end of it, I wasn't a fan of the aftermath.

I pulled apart an Oreo, licking the filling in true Oreo-eating style (that's how they did it in the commercials!) just as Mojo-Jojo revealed another evil plot to destroy the young superheroes. I was one for simple pleasures really.

"Is that some kind of muggle ritual or something?" came a voice from the doorway. Even if we hadn't been the only two in the house, I knew his voice. It sent shivers down my spine in a most disconcerting way.

"What?" I asked, rather confused by his question. Was he talking about the TV show? He pointed to the cookie that I was pulling apart.

I rolled my eyes. "Yes Draco, see if you take it apart just right it becomes a potent aphrodisiac."

His eyes bore into my with that intense way that he had, like he wasn't sure what to make of my comment.

"Geez, Draco, I was kidding. Calm down," I said. "Idiot pureblood," I added under my breath.

"I am not an idiot," he said defiantly, leaning against the doorframe lazily. The look he shot me dared me to challenge his statement. I wasted no time in obliging to the dare.

"Seeing as you traveled halfway across the globe with no reason that you can even think of, to crash my holiday, sorry if I lack some faith in your brilliance."

He scowled at me, something I noticed he did when he was annoyed but otherwise lost for words. I pushed myself off the couch. I didn't want to deal with him right now.

"Where are you going?" he asked briskly as I moved past him.

"To take a shower, do you have a problem with that?"

He didn't say anything so I continued on my way, heading up the stairs to the bathroom down the hall from my room. I could use a refreshing wash and it was the only place I knew the Slytherin Prince could not come bother me. I shut the door of the bathroom and leaned against it with a sigh. I was overdosing on Malfoy and I wasn't sure what to do about it. He was like a potent drug being forced down my throat. Or up my nostrils. Or however it is people take their drugs.

I started the shower and let the water warm up, enjoying the steam that quickly filled the small room. I stripped off the clothes I'd been wearing and stepped under the man-made waterfall, letting myself relax. It was the one place that Draco didn't exist these days. He was in my house, my thoughts, my dreams, but he wasn't in my shower. Not yet. _Yet!_ What kind of harebrained thought was that? More like never! Draco Malfoy would never be in my shower, at least not with me in it. The thought of showering Draco was of course now implanted within my mind and thinking about it made me shudder. I wished the shudder was in revulsion, but I knew that wasn't true.

I could not let my mind go down that road. Ever. Not even for a short stroll. Hell, not even to cross over that road to get to another one. It was just not happening.

I picked up my sponge, determined not to think of the stony-eyed blonde devil anymore. I needed a distraction. Sing! That was it; I'd be like all those terrible clichés and sing in the shower. It was a favourite pastime of mine, and I was confident that Draco wouldn't be able to hear it all the way downstairs. I racked my brain for a song I knew by heart. There were quite a few actually, and I finally settled on Joss Stone's _Fell In Love With A Boy_.

Did my song choice have anything to do with the Slytherin in my living room? I chose not to think about it, pushing the niggling question from my head.

"_Fell in love with a boy, I fell in love once and almost completely."_

The pounding of the water on my back felt amazing as I let myself sink into the song. I hated singing in front of others (like when Fred and George tried to get me to do karaoke) but it was something I really quite enjoyed when by myself. It helped me release stress, something that I desperately needed to do.

_"He's in love with the world, and sometimes these feelings can be so misleading. He turns and says 'are you alright?' Oh I must be fine cause my heart's still beating."_

I massaged shampoo into my hair, soap dripping down me, oblivious to anything else.

_"Come and kiss me by the riverside, Sarah says it's cool, she don't consider it cheating."_

I even sang the "ooh's" as I moved onto conditioner, fairly confident that my voice was fading into the sound of the water around me.

_"Red hair with a curl, mellow roll for the flavour and the eyes were peepin'. Can't stay away from the boy, the two sides of my brain need to having a meeting."_

I chose not to think about how those last two lines reminded me of my ever-complicated relationship with Draco.

_"Can't think of anything to do, my left brain knows all love is fleeting. He's just looking for something new, I said it once before but it bears repeating."_

I was just moving back into the "ooh's" when I heard a voice from by the door, not nearly muffled enough to suggest said door was closed.

"You sing very well."

I let out a gasp of surprise at the sound of the easily definable British accent.

"Malfoy what the BLOODY HELL is WRONG with you!? I'm not wearing any clothes for god's sake!" I practically shrieked, peeking my head out of the shower and firmly holding the shower curtain to the wall. I didn't need to give a show to the inconsiderate prat.

His eyes widened in panic, as if he had just now realized what he'd done. He turned around quickly so that he was facing the door. At least he'd have the decency to look away.

"I'm so sorry," he said hurriedly. "I heard singing so I came to check and I forgot what I was doing…" His voice trailed off as I studied his back curiously.

"That's the third time you've said sorry to me," I said, rather forgetting that I was naked and dripping wet.

"I… what?"

I rolled my eyes. Boy, was he dense sometimes. I chose to drop the subject however. "You could have knocked you know."

"You could have locked the door," he said tightly, hints of his usual steeliness sinking into his voice.

"I'm in the shower!" I sputtered. "Which in case you didn't know, generally involves being naked!"

I saw him tense a bit. "I'm rather aware of that thanks."

"Now you're aware of that! You're lacking some serious common sense in my opinion!"

"Now you listen here," he said angrily, whirling around to face me.

I let out another shriek, wrapping the shower curtain tightly around my soaking wet body. Maybe if I blew out his ear drums he'd leave me alone.

"Bloody hell woman! Who you be quiet!" he shouted over me, face twisted in annoyance at my high-pitched performance. I had to admit, even I was impressed with my vocals.

"I will do no such thing you damn ferret!" I replied loudly.

His eyes narrowed at my choice of insult. "Pick up a few cutting remarks from Potty and the Weasel then?"

I glowered, desperately trying not to look too deeply into those fiery mercury eyes. I spent a lot of my time trying not to do that I realized. But now would definitely not be a good time to succumb to his charms, especially since I was, as I said before, not wearing any clothes.

"I saw the incident myself Malfoy. Just because you chose not to acknowledge me until this year doesn't mean that I did not exist."

He opened and closed his mouth, an action that slightly reminded me of a fish. He didn't seem to know how to reply to that statement.

I sighed. "If you don't mind I'm going to finish my shower now." I pulled the curtain shut, letting the hot water run down me and rinse away the conditioner still in my hair. I grabbed my sponge and scrubbed myself in a rather angry fashion. I heard the bathroom door shut and I resisted the urge to punch the wall.

It was true; Draco had not known that I walked the planet for four years of being in the same classes. It shouldn't have hurt so much, but it did. A tear slipped down my cheek and I quickly whipped it away. But it didn't matter because no matter how much I told myself that it didn't matter, I couldn't keep myself from sobbing into the patter of the water coming down around me.

* * *

**A/N:** Tada! What did you guys think? Drop a review, I thrive on them. Next chapter is Christmas in which presents and such are exchanged. Be excited! xD


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